Before discovering Tooshie swimwear, I hunted high and low for the perfect bikini. I blame Jacques Deray’s film La Piscine for my obsession. Just one glimpse of Romy Schneider looking sensually sleek...
Before discovering Tooshie swimwear, I hunted high and low for the perfect bikini. I blame Jacques Deray’s film La Piscine for my obsession. Just one glimpse of Romy Schneider looking sensually sleek in her black two-piece and I had my swimwear ideal. She conjured up alluringly feminine and effortlessly elegant. Of course, like most Paris-based actresses, Romy knew what would suit her figure. I presumed I did until encountering Natascha Sayn Wittgenstein, the owner and designer of Tooshie which is inspired by her Swedish mother Birgitta af Klercker, one of Diana Vreeland’s favourite models.
At our rendezvous, I fired off how my bikini had to be dark, enhance Minnie & Mickey (Christian Louboutin’s nickname for my creamy cleavage) and cover my bum but not de trop (just as Brazilian bum floss thongs aint my scene nor are big granny pants!) After patiently listening, Natascha started to unpeel style after style of heavenly bikinis such as the ‘Hamptons Reversible', the ‘Sylt Tie and Dye’ and the ‘Tramondo'. Manufactured in France, named after beaches and deliciously slinky when touched, I wanted them all as well as her ‘Portofino’ swimsuit and extremely practical strapless dresses. Fortunately, Natascha ignored my initial order. (Alas, fabulous quality brings out a crazed, extravagant urge.) Instead, she encouraged me to try the bandeau – “it enhances the shoulders and neck,” she said – introduced me to black Lycra alternatives: “swimwear can also be about metallic knits and seersucker” – and revealed the cardinal rule behind wearing bikinis: “feel good about yourself.” Easy to say, difficult to do! Still, the mild-mannered Natascha was insistent about this. “Others don’t look at your shape,” she said. “They look at how you move and how you assume your body.” I guess I could always fly to Rio for lessons!
Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni is a Paris-based British journalist who covers fashion and lifestyle as well as being the author of Sam Spiegel – The Biography of A Hollywood Legend, Understanding Chic, an essay from the Paris Was Ours anthology and soon-to-be released Chanel book, for Assouline's fashion series.
Robert Beck is former New Yorker currently based in Paris. Also known as C.J. Rabbitt, he is the author and illustrator of several children's books, including The Tale of Rabbitt in Paradis, Un Lapin à Paris and the soon-to-be-published A Bunny in the Ballet.
