Summer 2008 is expected to be one for glamorous swimwear in Spain, say designers, with floral prints, ethnic, lineal and 1960s looks among the lineups for the season. It should be a sign for Hong Kong's OEM and ODM suppliers with Chinese mainland factories to plunge into a wave of demand that would see clever designs and upmarket fabrics providing more lucrative returns.
Set against the uncertainties of the Spanish consumer market, swimwear sales should be bolstered by the annual tourism trade and Spain's promising re-exports of swimwear to other EU member states.
The fact that distribution is largely in the hands of retail giants such as Inditex and Cortefiel should add sales volumes to higher-value products.
A mix of attractive fashions, reasonable pricing and high-profile Spanish designers should be good for the swimwear business in 2008, say industry observers.
Spanish swimwear exports in 2007 hit Euros 124 million, up 5.1% compared to 2006 and putting Spain among the leaders in intra-EU trade in this sector. Exports to major markets all showed better returns last year: they included Portugal (19.6%), France (16.7%), Italy (12.5%), the UK (8.5%) and Germany (6.3%).
Elegant white swimming costume. The famous trikini.
Full red swim wear. Glamour and style for 2008.
