Cult fashion label Tigerlily’s plans to take over the world’s beaches

It has been cult fashion label Tigerlily’s best-selling bikini for a decade. And now the company’s new CEO plans to have it worn by women on beaches all over the world.

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This is the itsy-bitsy bikini that’s kept a cult fashion label in business for 10 years — and its about to launch Aussie swimwear label Tigerlily onto beaches all over the world.

The brand, founded by model and the former Mrs James Packer Jodhi Meares, has a new CEO with an ambitious vision to have Tigerlily bikinis sold in the United States and the UK.

“We believe Tigerlily is a unique Australian brand and we believe Tigerlily has been a world wide secret,” CEO Chris Buchanan told The Sunday Telegraph.

The popular Tigerlily parisa tara triangle bikini top.

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The lifestyle label, founded in 2000 and acquired by Billabong in 2007 for $5.8 million, changed hands in 2007 when it was sold to Capital Partners for $60 million.

Five months ago the company enlisted Buchanan, former CEO of local fashion success story Ellery, believes the boho brand was being used as a cash cow by the industry juggernaut.

He plans to change that.

“The brand recently had a transition or change of ownership and I think under the Billabong ownership it didn’t receive the investment in innovation and creativity that it deserved,” Buchanan said of the 18-year-old brand.

Tigerlily founder Jodhi Meares.

Tigerlily CEO Chris Buchanan.

“Billabong is a very large group with a lot of brands. So the attention they gave to it, wasn’t as much as it needed. Now under new ownership, those barriers are removed and we are investing in the brand.”

While Meares attempted to launch the label into the global market (pushing it in New York, Asia and NZ) it never took off, however international expansion is a priority for Buchanan.

“We looked at our online data and realised there is a strong interest in the US market and we have made the venture into that market by the way of retail.

“It (the US) is a new market for us. Previously Tigerlily wasn’t distributed internationally but we just opened our first retail store in California, Orange County.

“It has been open for four months and is trading really well. We also just secured Selfidges in the UK which has performed exceptionally well.”

This season’s tara top and tiger bottom. Picture: Supplied

The same bikini in 2012. Picture: Supplied

Leading the demand is a bikini cut which has been the number one seller of the brand for more than 10 years.

Tigerlily’s summer staples ‘Tara’ and ‘Tiger’ sell every season.

Buchanan said swimwear needs to be functional, fashionable, flattering, and invariably cute.

“Both the “Tara” top and “Tiger “ bottom have earned their cult following amongst ‘it’ girl influencers and diehard Tigerlily fans alike, thanks to their perfected fits over the last ten years, and timeless silhouettes,” he said.

The tara top in 2016. Picture: Supplied

Tigerlily’s Bondi Junction store manager Chloe Hill said many loyal customers come back every year to purchase the same bikini with the “Tiger” shape representing six in every 10 bottoms sold.

“The Tara and Tiger have been the most requested styles during the 4 years that I’ve been working at Tigerlily,” Hill said.

“They’re the first styles that I suggest when someone comes in looking for the perfect bikini.”