Speedo isn’t about to squander its stash of surplus LZR Racer swimsuits. After enlisting fashion label From Somewhere to rework its banned bodysuit into a cocktail frock, the swimwear manufacturer asked student designers from the London College of Fashion, University College Falmouth, and the University of Huddersfield to take a stab. The resulting collection is as diverse as the talents behind it, featuring bandeau knotted bikinis, patchwork water shorts, life-saving buoyancy aids, ruffled clutches, and superhero-inspired capes.
DIFFERENT STROKES
Launched in 2008, the Speedo LZR Racer was most famously worn by Michael Phelps during his record-breaking turn at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nearly a year later, FINA, the world governing body of aquatic sports, banned swimmers from competing in full-body swimsuits, leaving the company with a sizable inventory of defunct product.
The Speedo LZR Racer was most famously worn by Michael Phelps during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This isn’t Speedo’s first excursion with students. Earlier this year, a team of undergrads from the Chelsea College of Art & Design took 200 LZR Racer suits and honed them into a slick spandex pavilion for the London Festival of Architecture.
Below, a behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot.
