Loungewear Brand Sleeper Debuts Swimwear Collection

Sleeper is a fashion brand that’s known and loved for its pyjamas, but right in time for summer, the founders Kate Zubarieva and Asya Varetsa have brought out their first-ever swimwear line. The pieces, which exude a thoroughly retro vibe, are not just suitable for swimming, wear them for sports and all manners of movement. Cue Jane Fonda inspired workouts, ‘80s Cher wearing her swimsuit over leggings, and dancing that’s straight out of Flashdance.

When it comes to shape, expect a romantic take on a classic one piece swimsuit with soft white ruffles on the shoulders and the waist. And as for the color palette, block shades of violet (an ‘80s favourite), pink, and vibrant orange, along with classic black don the swimsuits. This line is an extension of the Sleeper’s Athpleasure range that is made up of comfortable loungewear such as tracksuits with detachable oversized collars, that channels the athletic style of Princess Diana.

Founders Kate and Asya tell us more about the line, and the inspirations behind it.

Felicity Carter: Tell us about the swimwear line...

Kate Zubarieva: This is our first summer capsule swimwear collection, an extension of the Athpleasure line we launched earlier this year. This collection is about our favorite summertime activity, swimming — swimming in the sea, in the pool, or in the lake. We want all women to be confident that they are the very embodiment of summer. It includes the Ariel swimsuit in two distinct styles – one with ruffles on the spaghetti straps and one with a detachable ruffled basque at the waist.

Asya Varetsa: We love the idea that these swimsuits are suitable not only for swimming, but for sports and all manner of movement. For instance, you can pair the swimsuit with leggings and pretend that you are the heroine of the movie Flashdance.

FC: What were the inspirations behind the collection…

KZ: When we were thinking of what a sports wardrobe should look like today, we caught ourselves on the feeling that sometimes when you are taking a break from sports or you are not in the mood to exercise, and you come across your sportswear, you could feel like you broke a commitment. This is how an idea to create guilt-free athletic clothing appeared. Clothes that could be easily mixed with your everyday wardrobe. After visiting the gym or a morning jog it would be comfortable for you to stay in a Sleeper top and mix it with your casual jeans.

AV: We love that there’s an irony in this concept. Swimwear has become a logical continuation of the Athpleasure line since swimming is such a pleasant summer activity.

FC: What are the pieces made from?

KZ and AV: This swimsuit is made of ECONYL® yarn, a 100% regenerated nylon yarn derived from nylon waste and recovered fishing nets. The fabric is certified according to the Global Recycling Standard, as well as according to Oeko-Tex 100 – no environmentally hazardous chemicals were used in its production.

What did you have on your mood board?

KZ and AV: Jane Fonda workout tapes and "Flashdance” movie. But first of all we wanted to create swimsuits that would look natural with jeans and level out all the seriousness of a business suit.

Are there any plans to add to the athpleasure offering?

KZ and AV: We were pleased to see that more than 50% of the items were gone on the first day of sale launch. It was really unexpected. We are very inspired by our customers' attention to this line and we’re planning to develop it. We are also interested in redefining sweat suits.

See the full line on www.the-sleeper.com.