[ad_1]
Pattie Boyd, the 1960s It girl, model and former wife of George Harrison and Eric Clapton, once told me she found the month of January in the United Kingdom so ghastly one year that the following year she spent the entirety of it in Morocco. It is sound advice I’ve never forgotten and, whenever possible, intend to follow. If you too are chasing more exotic climes to ease the crash into 2026, here is your style checklist to nail every eventuality — from St Barths to St Moritz.
LONDON’S FINEST SWIMWEAR
Those wanting to shop local need not look far. London has no shortage of swim and resortwear brands founded in the capital, stocked widely across the UK and designed with travel in mind. For a supermodel-adjacent look, Hunza G has built a loyal following thanks to its signature crinkle-stretch fabric; the Domino square neck swimsuit (£185, hunzag.com) is designed to fit a wide range of body shapes and can be worn as a bodysuit off the beach.
Heidi Klein, founded in London in 2002, remains a destination for sophisticated classics. Its Rectangle halterneck bikini sets are £245 (heidiklein.com), while beach cover-ups start at £150. For something more decorative, Oceanus, founded in the capital in 2018 by Lebanese-Irish creative director Hannah Attalah, is a favourite among maximalists; the Arizona one piece swimsuit (£350, oceanusthelabel.com) is embellished with beaded sea creatures. Meanwhile, Away That Day, founded in 2019, focuses on stylish, high-quality and eco-friendly summerwear from £27.50 (awaythatday.com).
H&M x Perfect Moment
A status symbol for the slopes this season comes from H&M, which tapped luxury ski label Perfect Moment, founded in Chamonix in 1984, for a capsule collection spanning monochrome puffers through to faux-fur black hats. The collection was modelled by Lila Moss and Olivia Neill on a brand trip to Zakopane in Poland’s Tatra Mountains last December. Stock is limited, but some pieces remain available, with resale sites also worth checking.
For those willing to invest further, Perfect Moment’s own line remains the benchmark, with signature ski suits starting at £995 (perfectmoment.com). Elsewhere, Icelandic outerwear specialists 66North offer reliable puffer coats suited to both winter city wear and the slopes, while TK Maxx and JD Sports are practical starting points for last-minute salopettes.
HOW MEN CAN ROCK IT AT THE BEACH
There is no shortage of menswear-focused labels catering to well-dressed gents. Orlebar Brown, the London label founded in 2007 and originally known for its tailored swim shorts, still produces smart photographic-print trunks from £90 (orlebarbrown.com), alongside relaxed resort pieces such as the red Maitan linen printed shirt (£295) and seersucker drawcord trousers, ideal for post-dip dressing.
Orlebar Brown
Wax London, currently offering up to 50 per cent off, is a reliable source for printed and embroidered shirts that avoid overt Hawaiian tropes (from around £58, waxlondon.com), while CHÉ Studios, founded by model Oliver Cheshire, produces White Lotus-approved Baller swim shorts from £67.50 (chestudios.co.uk).
THE AUSSIE LABELS TO KNOW
Few nations understand beach dressing quite like Australia, which has produced a seemingly endless stream of resortwear labels that make you briefly question whether a shipping fee matching the price of bikini bottoms might still be worth it. Fortunately, many are stocked in the UK. Take The Upside and its latest holiday drop modelled by London-based Kiwi model Jessica Clarke (above). She is pictured in the Secretos scoop one-piece embroidered swimsuit (£159.99, uk.theupside.com), while the brand’s cotton drawstring slacks co-ords — the Baja Charli drawstring pant (£169.99) and matching shirt (£159.99) — and a crochet tank (£159.99) offer easy summer options that translate well back to London.
Other Australian swimwear labels to note include Bydee, where bikini tops range from £29.99 to £115 and are helpfully categorised by fit, including underwire, supportive and string styles. Cleonie sits at the mid-range price point, offering sequinned and appliqué flourishes, while Zimmermann remains the go-to for more expensive but consistently classic resortwear.
-(1).jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=960){kind=spacer}
RIMOWA
Elevating your airport look can be as simple as investing in reliable luggage. At the top end is LVMH-owned Rimowa, favoured by the A-list set including Zendaya and Lewis Hamilton, with prices starting at £525 for the Cabin U Lite, while XL trunks reach £1,830. More understated but equally polished are the carry-on and check-in options from Monos, a favourite of Jacob Elordi (Carry-On Pro, £300, monos.uk), and Carl Friedrik (The Carry-on, £445, carlfriedrik.com). Rounding out the category is Antler, founded in 1914, whose large suitcases start at £161 (antler.co.uk).
Last summer’s unexpected It sandal came from orthopaedic-focused footwear brand Xero. Its “barefoot” hiking sandals — featuring ultra-thin soles and climbing-adjacent rope thongs — retail at about £60 (xeroshoes.co.uk) and were adopted by both men and women, including Vogue editors and fashion designers. They remain a sound investment for 2026.
For those still committed to the fisherman sandal, Ancient Greek Sandals offers a comprehensive selection, while a slight heel, such as Russell & Bromley’s Barway Flip Flop Wedge, now £95, down from £250, works well for evening meals by the beach.
[ad_2]
Source link