Montce Swim: The Beach Edit You've Been Waiting For
There is a particular kind of confidence that comes from a swimsuit that was designed with genuine intention — where the cut was considered, the fabric tested in actual water, and the print chosen to look as good on day three of a beach holiday as it did the first morning. That is precisely the philosophy behind Montce Swim, the California-born label that has quietly become a favourite among women who understand that beachwear is not an afterthought.
Montce builds its pieces around a signature stretch fabrication that holds its shape after repeated exposure to salt water and sun — a practical detail that matters enormously when you're living in your swimwear from breakfast to sunset. The brand's prints, meanwhile, draw from a distinctly retro-inflected vocabulary: bold stripes, cheerful gingham, and playful fruit motifs that feel genuinely joyful rather than trend-chasing. Here at Lola Dré, we've curated a selection from their beach collection that captures exactly that spirit.
Emma Black and White Gingham Triangle Bikini Top
Montce Swim — $96
Lulu Red Gingham Low Rise Bikini Bottom
Montce Swim — $96
Gingham in swimwear is a study in contrast — graphic enough to read from across a beach, classic enough that it never dates. The Emma Triangle Top in black and white is cut with a deep V and adjustable ties, which means it works across a range of body types without the fussiness of underwire or moulded padding. Pair it with the Lulu Low Rise Bottom in red gingham for a mixed-check combination that feels deliberately editorial — the kind of pairing a stylist would put together, not an accident.
The Lulu silhouette itself deserves a mention: low-rise, with a cheeky-to-moderate coverage that sits just below the hip bone. It's a cut that references early 2000s swimwear without veering into costume territory, and it photographs beautifully whether you're on the Amalfi Coast or a rooftop pool.
The nautical stripe running through the Kelly Ruffle Bottom and the Classic Stripe Sarong Mini Skirt anchors the beach collection in a timeless coastal palette of navy, white, and sky blue. The Kelly's ruffle detail falls at the hip — a considered choice that adds movement without adding bulk — while the sarong skirt is cut short enough to wear over a swimsuit from the water to a beachside table without changing. Made from Montce's signature stretch fabric, it ties at the waist and drapes with just enough weight to feel considered rather than flimsy.
And then there is the Lulu Cherries Bottom — a reminder that Montce does playful as convincingly as it does polished. The cherry print lands in that sweet spot between retro and contemporary, and at $43 it is the kind of piece you reach for without hesitation. Wear it with a white linen shirt knotted at the waist, or layer under the stripe sarong for a print-mixed moment that works from the sand to the seafront promenade.
What distinguishes Montce from the wider swimwear market is its consistency of vision. Each season, the brand returns to the same well-considered shapes — the Lulu, the Kelly, the Emma — and reinterprets them through new prints and colourways. It is a wardrobe approach to swimwear that Lola Dré finds deeply appealing: fewer, better pieces that you return to year after year.
