The Story of Summer Romances

The swimsuit is the star of the season of passion. And while some romances don’t survive the equinox, a few iconic pieces transcend years and dives without losing any of their sex appeal. Let’s take a closer look at one of them: the Pucci swimsuit.

For nearly a century, bathers have spent their summers in its company. A showcase for skin exposed to the world’s gaze, to sea spray and scorching sun, the swimsuit unleashes passions . A trusted garment to which we give our heart and soul from June to September, it is the champion of fleeting infatuations. Sometimes, there’s barely time to fall for a floral print or a triangle cut before our summer crush is forgotten. However, some summer romances last forever. This summer, GVM explores these great seaside loves, iconic swimsuits that outlast every winter . Once upon a time, there was the love story of the Pucci swimsuit.

The summer it all began

Emilio Pucci was, initially, a man of winter. Born Marquis Emilio Pucci di Barsento, the Florentine with blue blood was passionate about skiing, an art he honed to Olympic level for the 1934 Games, which led him to design his first clothes, naturally sporty. In 1948, these garments caught the eye of Harper’s Bazaar and began his love affair with fashion, with an initial collection commissioned by the magazine. But Emilio Pucci was not a man of just one passion. Striking and adorned with colorful beach motifs, Pucci swimsuits took root in Capri in the summer of 1950, offering a complete vacation wardrobe ready to conquer the international jet set. And this was even before his signature print, his secret weapon of seduction, had been born.

Emilio Pucci and his models circa 1970. 

© LIFE PRESS / BESTIMAGE

The recipe for happiness

If, in 2026, the charm of Pucci’s beachwear still works its magic, it’s because it has left an indelible mark on the Mediterranean summer imagination. From the 1950s onward, the designer developed undulating prints in kaleidoscopic colors, pushing the boundaries of chromatic expression . These unique and irresistible psychedelic landscapes embody a contagious dolce vita . Later, they would even take on evocative names of islands ( Vivara ) or aquatic animals ( Pesci ). His great creative freedom is also expressed through numerous cuts, all marked by the practical demands of the former elite athlete, as inspired as he was committed to performance. These are the ingredients that make those who wear his swimsuits swim in pure bliss.

Hailey Bieber in Pucci in summer 2025. 

© Instagram.com/haileybieber

The unforgettable memory

From the 1960s onward, it was love at first sight between the creations of the Florentine aristocrat and the international jet set. Images of Jackie Kennedy in Capri, and Marilyn Monroe, whose passion for the brand followed her to the grave (she was exhumed in a Pucci dress), embody the perfect summer: chic, glamorous, and sparkling. The great seducers also know how to rekindle the flame. Under the impetus of artistic director Camille Miceli, appointed by LVMH, the brand’s owner since 2000, desire has been reawakened. There’s even talk of “Pucci mania .” Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, and Dua Lipa have all succumbed to the allure of the Marmo and Iride prints. Seventy years after its first Capri-inspired encounters, the Pucci swimsuit still delivers on its promise: that of a scorching summer passion.