The Bikini Brand Fashion Editors Refuse to Shut Up About—I Finally See Why

By Nikki Chwatt
Published 24 May 2026

There’s a certain kind of fashion secret that editors love to keep to themselves. You know the type—the brand that shows up on every beach vacation photo but never gets tagged, the one mentioned in hushed tones at industry events, the label that somehow always sells out before anyone outside the bubble even hears about it. For the past several years, Monday Swimwear has been exactly that brand.

Consider this the un-gatekeeping. I’m spilling everything.

What’s the Big Deal?

Founded by content creators turned entrepreneurs Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman, Monday Swimwear has built something rare in the swimwear space: actual cult status backed by actual quality. The brand’s obsession with fit is borderline legendary. Bikinis come in sizes ranging from “Petite Petite” to “Very Very Voluptuous,” which sounds gimmicky until you realize they mean it. Recently, they launched a Small Band, Large Cup collection for 28″ to 34″ underbusts and DD to G cups—a size range that most swim brands still treat as an afterthought.

But here’s what surprised me. Monday isn’t just a swimwear company anymore. It’s a full vacation wardrobe operation. Drawstring pants you can throw over a wet bathing suit. Structured straw totes that instantly pull everything together. Sarongs that double as tops. Crochet dresses that transition from beach to bar without missing a beat. Even statement earrings, because apparently they want to accessorize your entire trip.

The California-Meets-Australia Thing

Oakley is Australian. Brugman is from California. And somehow, that fusion works exactly the way you’d hope. Think relaxed West Coast ease colliding with that sun-drenched, slightly more polished energy Australian fashion does so well. The result is surf-inspired textures, earthy hues, and modern details that somehow feel equally at home on a beach boardwalk and a city sidewalk.

Since 2014, the brand has been quietly building a reputation so solid that they’ve expanded from online-only to physical stores—first in Los Angeles, and as of recently, New York City. Being a New Yorker who had never actually touched any of their pieces, I made it my personal mission to visit the NYC store within a week of it opening. Consider it research. Consider it curiosity. Consider it me finally understanding what all the fuss was about.

What I Tried On (And Couldn’t Stop Talking About)

Outfit One: The Sarong That Refuses to Be Just a Sarong

I walked into the store and immediately spotted the Marina Piccola in an elevated brown-and-white print. Summer hasn’t even officially started, and I’m already obsessed with wearing sarongs in unexpected ways—has to be large ones, though. I tied this one as a strapless top and paired it with the Tahiti pants, which are incredibly lightweight and comfortable.

Here’s what I loved: both pieces are endlessly versatile. That sarong? It also works as a skirt over a white bikini. Those pants? Just as good with an elevated tank and kitten heels as they are barefoot on the sand. Fit-wise, everything runs true to size, though petite women should know the pants run long. Worth the hem, honestly.

Outfit Two: The Crochet Dress That Converted a Skeptic

If you know me, you know I don’t do color. My wardrobe is black, white, and various shades of beige—that’s the whole spectrum. So you’re probably wondering what possessed me to try on a light-blue crochet dress with a matching bikini underneath.

The store associates, that’s what. They didn’t just suggest it. They highly recommended it. And against every instinct I have, I tried it on.

I ended up loving the whole thing. The light blue worked with my fair skin and dirty-blonde hair in a way I genuinely didn’t expect. But what really won me over was the Montego dress itself. I’ve always found crochet fabric thick and unflattering—this one was the opposite. Lightweight. Draped beautifully. The bikini underneath offered support and comfort without feeling like armor. Everything fit true to size.

The Bottom Line

Here’s what I keep coming back to: Monday Swimwear isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. They’re just making really, really good versions of things you actually want to wear on vacation. The fits are thoughtful. The quality is noticeable. And the fact that they’re doing it across an actual range of body types—not just the usual “extended sizing” token gesture—makes all of it feel less like marketing and more like mission.

So no, I’m not gatekeeping this one. Go see for yourself.