Alex Grief is the creative genius behind Miami-based swim brand Montce Swim. Not only does she design Montce, she “lives and breathes” the brand, treating it as her baby. She spilled the best Montce prints for summer, the hardest parts of being a bikini designer, and Montce’s feature in Sports Illustrated!
What’s your favorite Montce swim print?
My favorites would be The Palmas and The Watermelon print. The Palmas is a super fun tropical palm print and the reversible watermelon print was a custom collaboration with my friend and artist Amanda Valdes!
What’s the hardest part about designing a bikini line?
Finding the time to do it! I not only design Montce, I live and breathe this brand- it’s my baby. I started this line out of my home in Florida and now I’m living 2000 miles away in Hermosa Beach and just opened my second store. It’s pretty surreal! Between running the store, hiring my team, and making sure everything is on track with production- it’s easy to overlook the most important aspect of my job which is designing. My favorite part is choosing the prints and making sure the bikinis are 1000% flattering!
What’s a swimsuit trend we should wear for summer?
For me, swimwear is more about finding the best fit instead of following the trends. Try to find the right styles that accentuate your own body type. For this summer’s collection we have a variety of styles that flatter different bodies and we also offer many colors to complement different skin tones. We have a super cute removable cuffed bandeau and ruffle side-less cover short combo coming out this summer. If not that, than it’s definitely time to try out some of our fun one pieces in the summer collection out mid-May. We also have a super sexy high waisted criss-cross bottom that really accentuates in all the right places.
What are some confidence tips for girls who don’t feel ready to rock a bikini?
Find something that flatters your body, and doesn’t cut in. That is definitely my number one priority when designing bikinis. Our bikinis may be cheeky, but they are made for all sizes and really make everyone feel fab when they wear them. Robyn Lawley, the first plus size Sports Illustrated model, actually picked our bikini to shoot in for the most recent SI swim issue. I would also suggest trying a sexy one piece or high-waisted bottom. The key is to accentuate your favorite part of your body and just roll with that.
How do you avoid awkward tan lines in strappy bikinis?
Although I love a great tan line, I definitely recommend using a self tanner like KARORA’s 1-Hour Mousse for a beautiful bronze color. That way I already have a golden tan and then I just use SPF while wearing strappy bikinis in the sun!
Pool or beach?
Both! I like to go to the beach to chill out and mix match my bikinis with out a care and I like to go to the pool to really take it to the next level and wear a bikini that I may not normally wear, like the Naranja bottoms or the mixed media set.
Other than a swimsuit, what are 5 beach essentials to always bring in your bag?
Chapstick, sunscreen, leave-in conditioner, sunglasses, and definitely a Montce Mesh Short Kimono to throw over a kini and jean shorts!