Prism’s New Collection Takes the “Swimtimate” Trend to the Next Level

Photo: Courtesy of Prism

The brilliant hack of wearing swimsuits as a “real clothes” is nothing new—but what if your swimsuit also doubled as underwear, activewear, and even shapewear? That’s the case with Prism’s new collection of minimal bras, underwear, leggings, and bodysuits launching today. The hyper-functionality of those pieces was actually a happy accident: “I developed this material a few years ago without understanding its capacity,” designer Anna Laub explains on a call from London. Made of a 3-D knitted technical yarn, it’s seamless, sweat-sticking, quick-drying, chlorine-resistant, and incredibly stretchy—all properties you want in a garment that skims the body, whether it’s a maillot or a pair of yoga pants.

Because the yarns are knitted into each piece, rather than spun into a fabric that’s later cut into a pattern, the process is virtually zero-waste. Even better, the pieces have been finished with eco-friendly dyes in one of Italy’s only Greenpeace-certified factories. That was important to Laub, and yet it’s the multi-use performance of the clothes that inspired her to shift the entire focus of her brand; she’s calling it Prism Squared, an extension of what was once just eyewear, luxe swimwear, and a few cover-ups. “From a personal standpoint, I’m always in a hurry, and we all have so many demands on our time. Everything we buy now needs more justification and more functionality because we’re all thinking about consuming less,” she says. “I want everything I own to be used up. For me, this is sort of the modern evolution of Prism, because it’s really looking at functionality at the core and saying, ‘I want to use this piece every single day.’”

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, Laub packed the strapless one-piece to wear by the pool, but also layered it under a dress, explaining that it “holds you in just a tiny bit, but in a comfortable way.” The texture and stretch of the garments are reminiscent of shapewear, though admittedly, the designer is turned off by the current trend of reshaping and “air brushing” your body to a specific ideal. “I don’t think you need to feel constricted or like your body isn’t okay. I’ve had a child, and I want support in certain areas, but I don’t want to be uncomfortable,” says Laub. “This material hugs you in all the right places, and supports you where you need it, so it’s really the most modern guise of shapewear.”

Maybe you’re inclined to wear that one-piece as a bodysuit under a blazer, or you need a bra and leggings you can wear all day and then to the gym. It’s easy to justify a Prism splurge for both scenarios, since every piece is under $150. Thanks to the 3-D technique and the scale, Laub explains that the prices are much more accessible—and unlike a traditional bikini, the items are well-suited to online orders because sizing is a breeze. “There’s something about this fabric, the seamlessness, the stretch, and the way the garments are made, that they fit basically everyone,” she says. “I was really trying to look at the market and ask, what is the most modern way to make things?” Designing garments with a woman’s body and busy lifestyle in mind—and introducing something most of us have never seen—is certainly a great place to start.

Shop the collection now at prismlondon.com.