What could be more fun than designing a successful swim and resort wear brand with your best friend? Sofia Ancira and Alexandra Jacquier have done exactly that with Sanlier, a luxury line of thoughtfully designed and ethically sourced swimsuits and resort wear.

The two met when they were high school students back in Mexico City, then they attended college together to study fashion. After a semester, Ancira moved to New York City to study fashion merchandising at LIM College, while Jacquier stayed in Mexico City to finish studying fashion design. They kept in contact and traveled together often, which ultimately led to the creation of Sanlier, a luxury line of thoughtfully designed and ethically sourced swimsuits and resort wear.

Together, Ancira (founder) and Jacquier (co-designer) sought out to create a swimwear brand that was versatile and embraced their Mexican-rich culture. The Resort ‘21 Collection features effortlessly transitional statement pieces with cuts and prints that draw inspiration from the vibrant “magical towns” along Mexico’s coast.

“We felt the need for versatility in the swimwear industry; something new, fresh, and never seen before,” says Ancira. “Sanlier was inspired for women who love to travel to exotic places; wear unique, one-of-a-kind clothing; like to stand out amongst others; and enjoy an outfit that fits all their daily events.”

We chatted with Ancira, who shared the inspiration behind the brand, their best-selling and favorite pieces, and more.

When was Sanlier founded and what’s the meaning behind the name?

Alexandra and I envisioned the concept of Sanlier in late 2019 while vacationing at Cala Luna Beach in Italy. We wanted the name to reflect our personalities, so we took our first and last names and combined them to create Sanlier. Sanlier is not only personal for us, but it also transmits what the brand is: feminine, adventurous, contemporary, bold, sophisticated, and elegant.

Tell us more about your line and the styles of clothing you make.

Sanlier introduces the concept of swimleisure by bridging the gap between the beach and the street. We focus on high-quality, fashion-forward garments with second-skin comfort that are created for today’s modern women in mind. It is a versatile fashion that can be taken from the beach to the street/day to night. 

How many collections do you release a year?

Sanlier will be releasing three collections a year:

• The Resort Collection will be available from November to February

• Spring/Summer will be released in March and go through June 

• Summer will be launched from July until October

What are your best-selling pieces?

Our best-selling pieces are the SAYULITA Set in Lilac, the SALADITA skirt in the gold and pink metallic fabric, the LA PAZ one piece, and the CAMPECHE one-piece. 

What are your current favorites?

My favorite pieces for swimwear are the SAYULITA top in cream and the LA PAZ one-piece in green. I love how distinctive they are to everything on the market. I love the volume the sleeves carry, as well as the silhouettes of both. The fabric used for these pieces melts into your skin, making them so comfortable and well-fitted to the body.

For resort wear, I’m in love with the AYALA Jumpsuit and the SALADITA skirt in metallic gold and pink fabric because they all remind me of the colors and textures of the magical coastal towns in Mexico. The AYALA jumpsuit is such an easy piece to dress up or down, wear your favorite bikini top underneath after the beach or dress it up with a beautiful crop top for a night out. 

Alexandra’s favorite pieces are the CAREYES top because the ruffles are handmade pieces from artisan women in Puebla, Mexico. The ruffles were crafted with a lot of love and hard work as they took 11 hours each to hand weave. It is one of the most significant pieces in the collection. Ale also loves the BALANDRA top in the gold and pink metallic fabric, she says she enjoys how the textures and color of the fabric highlight your skin. She also enjoys how comfortable and flirty the top is. 

Her third favorite piece is the LORETO top in the rib bird print fabric—she likes how the top is so simple, but by adding the sleeves it breaks the standard of a normal swimsuit and makes it look like a modern top where it can be worn on the beach or to the street. 

Where is your line sold?

Our line is sold exclusively through our website.

Future plans for the brand?

The future plans for Sanlier are to keep expanding nationwide as well as internationally. We also have plans to open pop-up stores during the spring and summer of 2021.

For more information and to purchase, visit the website and follow on Instagram: @sanlier.usa

[Images courtesy of Sanlier]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk