The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2020 - Issue 27

bite swimwear lections. We are most proud of that.” When they first started, Yusree said getting the first episode [collection] done and ready to sell was an exciting accomplish- ment as well as getting their first wholesale order. Yasra added, “Because we never set out to start a brand or anticipated any of the success we have had since we started, it’s hard to pin- point exactly what moment is the most significant. We are a very young brand so every milestone is still exciting for us. I ammost proud that I have been able to showcase Maldivian art through swimwear.” While Yusree describes fashion as “identity, confidence and most importantly, comfort”, Yasra says fashion encapsulates a moment in time. “I believe that if you go back in time, you can tell a lot about what was happening at that particular time by looking at what people are wearing.” As a swimwear fashion de- signer, what matters the most to Yusree is “the art and creativity being the paintings and the final designs” while Yasra believes that comfort and fit are most essential to her. Explaining further, she added, “I want to create swimwear that is beautiful as well as functional and to create something that can be worn by people with different body shapes and sizes. Growing up in the Maldives and being surrounded by [the] ocean, I understand the need for the importance of support and fit, especially if you are the type of person who likes to be more active in the ocean.” Their collection of swimwear captures the bright and vibrant setting of the Maldives. Each Bikini Top and Bottom has re- movable soft cups and tie-up straps while the One Piece Swim- suits have removable soft cups. Chithara is designed with orange twig-like strips with black spots against a white back- ground. Kakuni Bikini has interesting red and white stripes across the bust while the Swimsuit has a decorative blue crab against a white top and red bottom background. Kashikeyo, known as the screwpine plant in English, has dif- ferent shades of green leaves and a screwpine decoration in the corner of the bikini while the swimsuit has a chain of the screwpine plant along the edge of the neck and the shades of green leaves on the body. Dhiggaamaa, inspired by sea hibis- cus, has the flowering tree in red and orange with pops of green on the bikini and two big sea hibiscus designs in the upper left and lower right corners and green on both sides of the swim- suit. When asked about how they would define their city’s fashion, the two sisters provided different answers. “In the Maldives, the fashion is very much within the box, but the colours used are very bright,” Yusree explained. Yasra, having moved to London in 2001 and stayed there ever since agreed that London is seen as one of the fashion capitals of the world. “There is absolutely everything here! Just walking down the street is inspiring.” Yusree and Yasra’s interpretation of their design signature is somewhat similar. Yusree explained they get inspiration from the environment they are living in and turn this into art while Yasra said, “We take inspiration from the beautiful natural en- vironment, culture, and work with Maldivian artists and de- signers to produce the unique look.” With water colour paint- ings provided by Maldivian artist Nadee Rachey, Yasra added, “I would say our swimwear collections are bright and colourful just like the Maldives.” When we asked them what their first article of clothing was, Yusree said she designed a t-shirt for a party and Yasra creat- ed a yellow and white polka-dot dress for her doll when they were much younger. They probably didn’t realise at the time they would be designing and creating swimwear collections later in life. Yasra added that the first swimsuit she designed for Kandumathi was the Kakuni one piece which is one of her favourites. For the brand, the design process of producing the collection takes longer than the actual manufacturing of the swimsuits. “The artwork process usually takes 3-4 months but the design phase doesn’t take that long,” Yasra explained. “I usually have a very clear idea of what I want and I completely trust our head