Spotted: Audrina Patridge in Birdie Jo Swimwear!

There’s nothing like a celebrity sighting, and even more so when it comes sizzling hot. If you haven’t seen recent copies of your favorite tabloids, then you have certainly missed out on one of this year’s best. Luckily, Azura Swimwear is here to bring you an insider’s look…

Audrina Patridge, sexy reality TV star of The Hills, was recently spotted at the DKNY Jeans Malibu Beach House… and in none other than a Birdie Jo bikini! Spotted, I think, would be an understatement, with Audrina Patrdige (and her to die for bod), being splashed across every magazine, from Ok to In Touch and Life & Style.

And why wouldn’t editors want to highlight Audrina? Audrina looks absolutely incredible, as does her Birdie Jo bikini. Known as the Color Block bikini, this Birdie Jo swimsuit has been a huge hit this season, with its first public appearance debuting as early as March of this year. And did we mention that was in Vogue? The Color Block is definitely an editor’s favorite, and as we’re clearly seeing, a favorite with hot young celebrities too.

As seen on Audrina Patridge, this Color Block comes in a striking black and pink combo, but it also comes in a stunning pink and 14k (gold) combination too. And while you probably can’t tell from the lift outs shown here, the fabric has a slight brilliance, or luminescence, to it which gives this sexy bikini yet another reason to shine.

Color Block has been selling through the roof here at Azura Swimwear, and has been a favorite from the start.  And while we’re disappointed to say that we have only one suit left (quick, don’t miss out! Even the manufacturer has sold out!), Birdie Jo has such an incredible range of designer swimsuit styles that we’re sure you’ll find one equally as scintillating. In fact, if you’re a fan of the one Audrina Patridge is wearing, we’d like to recommend the Ace by Birdie Jo Swimwear. It’s made with the same luminescent fabric for that one-of-a-kind sexy shimmer and also comes with the same style bottom as the Color Block.

It looked, might we add, pretty good on Audrina…

Spotted 

Red Carter Gone Wild!

There’s been a flurry of activity this last week here at Azura Swimwear. It’s not the onset of summer (although that certainly helps), or the great deals on women’s swimwear we have throughout our collection (let me say that again – our great deals! Just compare our swimwear prices to our competitors…). No, it’s a certain swimwear designer who’s got everyone going a little crazy for his gorgeous range of designer swimsuits. And I mean crazy.

Yes, we’re talking none other than Mr. Red Carter. Red Carter Swimwear has been a consistent favorite here at Azura Swimwear, with bikinis like In Uniform and Gold Rush. But we’ve also seen a recent surge in Red Carter womens swimsuits Zimbabwe and Kenya.

     Zimbabwe by Red Carter Swimwear           Kenya by Red Carter Swimwear

For more product details or to shop now, click here for Zimbabwe or here for Kenya

These African-inspired animal print bikinis (giraffe print and zebra print respectively) have been hugely popular these last couple of weeks, and while they look stunning in the images, when you see the bikinis up close, you’ll understand why. The swimsuit fabric is made from a gorgeous and soft Euro-jersey, but it’s the print and detailing that make them extra special. Take the Kenya bikini for example, whose black and white zebra print has been highlighted by beautiful black sequins. It’s the attention to detail that makes all the difference in a swimsuit or a bikini, and when it comes to designer swimwear, it’s hard to go past Red Carter.

But there’s also another reason for the extra attention Red Carter Swimwear is getting – celebrities! Red Carter has long been a celebrity favorite and this year is no different. Red Carter swimwear has already been seen on some of the industry’s hottest celebrity bodies and I just got a tip off today that sexy TV host Tila Tequila was wearing the Red Carter Zimbabwe bikini on MTV not long ago for Spring Break. Tila Tequila is a model and singer, along with a host and regular contributor to MTV.

If you love Red Carter’s chic and sexy animal print bikinis as much as we do (and as it seems, thousands of women out there too!), make sure to buy one now… Animal prints, particularly those as well-executed and classy as Red Carter’s, are always in fashion one way or another, so you really can’t go wrong…

If you’d like to buy a Zimbabwe or Kenya bikini by Red Carter, click here to start shopping now!

Spotted

Jennifer Aniston seen in Maya Swimwear!

As NW magazine writer aptly describes it, Jennifer Anniston may by almost 40, but she still has one of the most envied bodies in the business. Seen relaxing on holiday in Miami, Jennifer Aniston bares her beautifully toned bum and tum here in none other than a gorgeous bikini by Maya Swimwear… 

Jennifer Aniston, Maya Swimwear

View Our Maya Collection 

The beautiful bright pink fuchsia color of this bikini really suits Jen’s evenly tanned skin tone, and Maya Swimwear’s signature cut flatters her already svelte physique.

If you love Jennifer Aniston in this Maya swimsuit and want one for yourself, make sure to click here now to see out beautiful range of Maya Swimwear. Maya Swimwear is also a firm favorite of celebrities Vanessa Minnilo, Fergie and Nicole Ritchie.

Spotted  

2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue: An Inside Peak

Designer Swimwear buyer Yasmin Newman takes us on a journey through the world’s most coveted and highly anticipated swimsuit lineup of the year…

It’s that time of year again, that time we’ve all been waiting for. Yes, the release of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is finally here!

And what a truly spectacular year this year is. The 2008 edition takes us round the world once again, from the historic city of St. Petersburg in Russia to a rainforest hideaway in Maui, Hawaii, scouting out the sexiest locations you could dig up. And amongst some perennial favorites, we also meet the new girls on the block - the 2008 Sports Illustrated Rookies.

So let’s take a look inside, and savor the sights (not to mention the incredible swimsuits) found in this year’s 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue…

Sports Illustrated 2008: The Cover

Landing the cover of Sports Illustrated is something like winning the jackpot in Vegas, or receiving a gold medal at the Olympics. It is the ultimate prize. But unlike Vegas, it’s not all about luck. Marissa Miller, this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covergirl, is testament to this. Having modeled swimwear for years, and for some of the industries most illustrious swimwear designers including Sauvage Swimwear, Marissa Miller has definitely earned her stripes. Shot on location in St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Miss Miller sparkles against a sunset backdrop wearing only an Anna Kosturova swimsuit bottom and glittering jeweled necklaces by Badgley Mischka and Mary Louise Designs.

The 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models

This year we see the return of swimwear sirens Bar Rafaeli (current girlfriend of Leonardo di Caprio), Jessica White, Brooklyn Decker, Julie Henderson, Oluchi Onweagba, Anne V., Anna Beatriz Barros, Tori Praver, Irina Shayk, Selita Ebanks, Daniella Sarahyba and of course, covergirl Marissa Miller.

We were also lucky enough to meet a total of seven new blossoming beauties, also known as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Rookies. From American born Quiana Grant, Melissa Haro and Melissa Baker, to Hawaiian beauty Jarah Mariano, Perth, Australia girl Jessica Gomes, as well as Brazilian babes Yasmin Brunet and Jeisa Chiminazzo, this year’s newest talent certainly gives some our previous favorites a run for their money!

And let us not forget the special guest appearances by the NFL cheerleaders, Indycar driver Danica Patrick, the four wives of sporting stars Jeff Gordon, La La Vazquez, Carmella Garcia and Johnny Damon, actor-comedian Will Ferrell and long-time Sports Illustrated favorite Heidi Klum.

The Locations

Sports Illustrated wouldn’t be Sports Illustrated without red-hot destinations so tempting you’d want to pack up your bags right now and jump on the first plane outta here! And this year’s trail blaze around the globe is no different. The journey begins in the historic city of St Petersburg in Russia were Russian born models Anne V. and Irina Shayk give us a guided tour around town. We next head to Israel to pay a visit to Caesarea and the enchanting Dead Sea where models Brooklyn Decker, Julie Henderson, Jessica Gomes and Tel-Aviv native Bar Rafaeli are kind enough to show us the sights.

After a 70s themed extravaganza and dance about town with funny man Will Ferrell and model Heidi Klum, Sports Illustrated heads to Lahana, Maui where models Jessica White, Tori Praver and Jarah Mariano show how to enjoy life Hawaii style. And this year, Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos play backdrop to the stunning yearly showcase of ‘Body Paint’ executed by world-renowned body painter Joanne Gair, while St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands offers a water wonderland for models Oluchi Onweagba, Melissa Baker, and covergirl Marissa Miller.

Heidi Klum and Will Farrel, Red Carter Swimwear

View our Red Carter Swimwear Collection

Next stop is Singer Island, Florida where Indycar driver Danica Patricks swaps her racecar leathers for some sexy bikinis, before Sports Illustrated heads to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands for a bit of pirate warfare with models Daniella Sarahyba, Melissa Haro and Selita Ebanks.

And last but not least, we journey to San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua to watch Ana Beatriz Barros, Jeisa Chiminazzo and Quiana Grant frolick in the sun before ending the world tour back in Maui in Haiku. Models Jessica White and Yasmin Brunet bid us adieu from their hideaway tucked away in the beautiful rainforest, and while it is sad to see the journey finish, it is the perfect ending to a whirlwind tour.

The 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuits

And now to our favorite part - the swimsuits!
Did you know that around 30 percent of readers who buy the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue are women? Yes, we women all love to dream about beautiful beach destinations and island getaways, and we certainly won’t deny that we don’t enjoy admiring the gorgeous Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. But when you boil it down, we’re in it for the swimwear!

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has become somewhat of a bible for those interested in the ‘what’s hot’ of designer swimwear, so let’s take a look at this year’s swimwear designer lineup…

This year’s top favorite would have to be Beach Bunny Swimwear, followed very closely by Delfina Swimwear, Pompei Beach and Luli Fama. Red Carter, Zoe NYC, Debbie Wilson for Maui Girl, Ashley Paige for Girls Gone Wild, Becca by Rebecca Virtue, Domani and Letarte Swimwear all put on a good show with a couple of features as did Sugar Free, La Perla Mare, Perry Ellis, Chio di Stefania D, Badgley Mischka Swimwear and Anna Kosturova.

Lady Lace by Beach Bunny Swimwear

View Our Beach Bunny Collection

Amongst others Ondademar, Betsey Johnson, Emamo, Birdie Jo Swimwear, Maryan Mehlhorn, Pursuit, Melissa Odabash, Agua Bendita, Sauvage Swimwear, Karla Colletto, La Isla Courture, Vicky Moreinis Swimwear, Salinas Swimwear, Lenny, Cia Maritima, Aquarelle, Vix Swimwear, Lunazul, Juicy Couture, Aqua di Lara, Shay Todd, Lisa Lozano, Eberjey, Omo Norma Kamali, Trina Turk, V Del Sol and Diva were all featured.

But with so many great designers, not to mention swimsuit styles, there’s not enough time in a day! For a full list of the swimwear designers featured in the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, visit www.si.com. And make sure to check out the 2008 issue for yourself to choose your favorite designers and designer swimsuits.

So until next year, Sports Illustrated leaves you with some very pleasant thoughts…

© Yasmin Newman
Yasmin Newman is a swimwear buyer for online retail store Azura Swimwear.
www.azuraswimwear.com

Spotted  

Seriously Sports Illustrated 

Azura sells Sports Illustrated favorites…

   Spellbound, By Beach Bunny    Secret Garden, By Beach Bunny

Lady Lace, By Beach Bunny

If you weren’t able to read last week’s post about the release of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, don’t fear. As I mentioned in that post (which, of course, you wouldn’t know because you didn’t read it and is in fact the whole reason for me saying this again!), this week we’ll be taking an in-depth look and journey through the much coveted 2008 issue, from the models, to the locations and of course, the beautiful swimsuits. Who made it in this year, who didn’t, you’ll find it all out here!

Sports Illustrated and Azura Swimwear

While we can’t take credit for the swimsuits themselves, Azura Swimwear is proud to stock many of this year’s selected swimwear designers. In the fiercely competitive and highly talented field of designer swimwear, Azura Swimwear designers Beach Bunny, Red Carter, Sauvage and Birdie Jo all made appearances in the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. It’s a huge achievement and Azura Swimwear would like to congratulate them all. The women’s swimwear lineup in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is the most highly anticipated each year, so again our congratulations to all the swimwear designers featured.

If you haven’t seen a copy yet, make sure to grab one asap – this year’s is hot! You can also visit www.si.com to view all the pictures featured in the issue, plus the many more that couldn’t fit! It’d be a tough (well, some would argue) job selecting the top 100 images out of the many thousands that are taken, and a shame to not share all those beautiful swimsuit shots. Luckily, Sports Illustrated is kind enough to share them with us all, so do take a look if you get a chance. We’ll also be featuring some of our favorite Sports Illustrated swimsuits here at Lifestyle Azura, so stay tuned…

Interested in owning your own?

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue bikinis, simply click on the swimsuit names or images below. You can also view the women’s swimwear collections of Red Carter, Sauvage and Birdie Jo by clicking here. Happy shopping!