Miami Swim Week Exclusive: Lila Nikole Brings Creativity and Inclusivity to the Runway

Welcome to the vibrant world of Lila Nikole, a Miami-based swimwear brand that’s turning heads and setting trends at Miami Swim Week. Led by the fiery Aries, Lila Nikole, this brand is all about empowering individuals of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds.

One of my favorite designers from the runway was from the fashion icon Lila Nikole, the swimwear fashion brand that brings vibrant art and style to your swimwear collection. Their stunning bathing suits are a perfect blend of bold patterns and impeccable design, ensuring you make a splash at every pool party. With a commitment to size inclusivity, Lila Nikole offers a range of fits that celebrate every body type, so everyone can feel confident and chic. Lila Nikole may have been the most inclusive brand on the runway.

Embrace the sun, sand, and sea with Lila Nikole‘s summer selects, where fashion meets art in the most dazzling way.

Tell us a little bit about your brand, what’s the name? My brand is called Lila Nikole and we are a Miami based company and we do all of our production here in the 305.

At the panel with Snatched Plastic Surgery, you mentioned that you got into designing when you were in college. There was a competition with a monetary reward that you won. Students on campus loved your design and out of this your business was born. Tell us a bit about these origins and how it evolved to the brand that exists today. I decided that I wanted to go to school to be a costume designer. I’ve always made clothes and tore things up, it’s been my go to. I went to school for costume design to learn some of the business aspects of it and I needed to make swim wear as one of the projects. When I started to make the swimwear I put them in a competition and made some money. Then I took that and I bought some more materials. I made a really bad website and people just started buying it and here we are. This was 2005 and now we are in 2024.

What sets this season of Miami swim week apart from your previous ones. This collection is more art based. I tried to make pieces with more visuals and graphics versus all over prints. It has lots of body types and lots of pieces that are reversible and unisex as well.

Thank you so much for sharing that. It’s really obvious from your runway that inclusivity is very important to you. Apart from the collection, the different cuts and the different message behind your designs, inclusivity is very much at the center. Tell us a little bit about why representation is important to you on the runway. When I look for models I look for people that are interesting. It doesn’t matter what our background is, what your ethnicity is, it doesn’t even matter your shape. If you can body the runway, that’s what I look for. In the end, the people that were the collection are just people, of all shapes, all sizes, all ethnicities. I think it’s really important that we share that with everyone that purchases the products. 

What’s an experience with a plus size model that reminded you of your purpose as a designer. The best thing is when you hear women say how empowered she feels, how sexy she feels,  how glamorous she feels, and how she feels included. Not like “ I wish I could wear that”.  I get lots of [women feeling empowered] and it’s an incredible feeling just to make somebody feel good. That’s everything.

What’s your zodiac sign and how do you feel that influences your artistry? I am a fiery Aries. I am aggressive with what I want, I am determined, I do not take no for an answer. I do what I want. If I can’t figure out a way, I will find another way to do it. I think that being an Aries fire sign is what burns in me and why I keep pushing forward.

Amazing, thank you so much for taking the time to chat about your collection, yourself and your artistry.  Thank you for having me assist your Miami Swim Week fashion show! I really enjoyed it and I cannot wait for the next one.