Two genetically blessed sisters are dominating the fashion industry with a new line of incredibly flattering handmade bikinis which lift and sculpt the body to help you feel secure and confident on the beach.
Designers Stephanie, 30, and Natalia Lampante, 33, grew up on the Gold Coast in Queensland, but influences from their European heritage ran deep from an early age.
Inspired by a family history of female tailors and dressmakers which stretches back generations, the sisters launched BARBORA Swimwear in September 2019 and have already sold out of almost every piece of stock just five months later.
Ranging in price from $59 to $89 AUD, each bikini is handmade in Brazil from thick, double-lined fabric which seamlessly cinches the body like shapewear, without pinching skin or highlighting problem areas.
Gold Coast-born sisters Stephanie and Natalia Lampante (left and right) are the brains behind successful bikini brand BARBORA Swimwear
A model wears the ‘Marian’ top and bottoms which are handmade in Brazil in an official campaign shoot
Luxury hardware like gold clasps and buttonholes add glamour to the tops, which can be worn as swimwear or lingerie under blazers and sheer clothing.
The brand has shifted more than 80 per cent of its stock since launching, largely thanks to its growing fan base of celebrity devotees.
Victoria’s Secret models Joan Smalls and Kelly Gale, American actress Damaris Lewis and Australian YouTuber Brooklyn Kelly have all worn BARBORA designs on their much-followed Instagram accounts.
Sales skyrocketed after Puerto Rican-born catwalk star Joan posted a photo in the ‘Natalie’ bikini on February 8, with every size and colour selling out in a matter of hours.
‘The impact this has had is the trust and endorsement of the brand. Their millions of followers now trust [BARBORA], which means the world to us,’ Natalia told Daily Mail Australia.
‘There may be some other big names wearing BARBORA soon, so watch this space!’
Puerto Rican Victoria’s Secret model Joan Smalls is pictured in a nude BARBORA bikini (left), alongside American actress and Sports Illustrated model Damaris Lewis (right) who wears the ‘Stephanie’ bikini top and bottom in khaki
The brand has already shifted more than 80 percent of its stock since launching in September 2019, largely thanks to its growing fan base of celebrity devotees (models wear the ‘Marian’ and ‘Natalie’ sets in an official campaign photo)
The Lampante sisters were determined to create a range of inclusive styles suitable for all shapes and sizes (a model wears the ‘Katalin’ metallic bikini set in a promotional photo for the brand)
Creating a range of inclusive styles suitable for all shapes and sizes was important to the girls, who designed each of their bikinis with bigger busts and hourglass figures in mind.
‘It was important for us to have tops and bottoms that suited bigger busts or offered fuller back coverage not just for women that might be a little more conservative, but for people like us that actually want to swim in swimwear!’
Each bikini is named after a female family member, including their mother Marian, while the label itself pays tribute to their beloved grandmother Barbara, a skilled dressmaker who the girls describe as ‘the most glamorous woman we’ve ever seen’.
‘The ‘BARBORA’ name pays a very special homage to our Oma [grandmother] Barbara, whose name in Hungarian is Bora and who first inspired us,’ Natalia said.
The label itself pays tribute to their beloved grandmother Barbara, a skilled dressmaker who the girls describe as ‘the most glamorous woman we’ve ever seen’ (models wear the ‘Bora’ and ‘Stephanie’ sets in an official campaign photo)
Stephanie and Natalie Lampante (left and right) are also classically trained pianists who perform as DJ duo KIN across Australia
‘She could take a piece of chalk, a tape measure, some cloth and thread and create a piece of architecture.
‘We like to think our grandmother’s gift of exceptional artistic design is woven into the perfect fit, timeless style and enduring quality of every piece.’
Selected styles from BARBORA’s first collection are on sale now for a limited time only, while stocks last.
Stephanie and Natalie Lampante are also classically trained pianists who perform as DJ duo KIN across Australia.