Kimi Juan, a multi-hyphenate in her own right, has long established her ties with Áraw. Having made an appearance as early as our first editorials, the travel photographer finally collaborates with us for an all-new debut series: Áraw Swim.
Kimi, alongside her husband Thomas Caja [who sentimentally photographed the collection], are more often seen wandering from coast to coast all throughout Asia. She veers from her usual course to take a more tête-à-tête approach with us as we visit her family's lake cottage in Binangonan, Rizal. The location is filled with the rustic charm of old Filipino interiors—complete with batibot chair sets amongst bogambiliyas, thoughtfully positioned under pitched nipa roofs. It makes for a perfect setting to welcome Áraw Swim; mirroring the vibrant colors and tones present in the collection.
In the creation of the collection, Kimi and Áraw founder Carla make use of their shared unbridled longing for a balance of old and new. They take timeless silhouettes: balconette-bra bikinis and widestrapped one-pieces, both calibrated and finished with high-cut bottoms, and envision each piece in everyday scenes of tropical living. The lookbook shows the suits playfully paired and layered with Áraw's apparel. The duo lovingly fashioned every suit to function equally well in and out of the city, being tailored similarly to the line's existing cuts.
Áraw Swim launches on March 17 in Lake Island, Rizal.
The full collection will be available online March 18, 11am.