Dancewear has an estimated global market value of $450 million, proving the popularity and appeal of dancewear among the sport’s key enthusiasts and practitioners. What may come as a surprise is that the global swimwear market accounts for over 40 times the market value of dancewear. For decades, swimwear has been a popular way for dancers to show off their toned muscles, honed by hours of plies and bar exercises. Luckily, if you’re in need of a new swimsuit for the new year, you can check out which swimwear styles will be trending in 2020.

Long-Sleeve Swimwear

According to some experts, long-sleeve swimsuits are the next big thing in swimwear. Brands like Devon Windsor, Acacia, and Lulu Lemon all offer such swimsuits, which cover the arms and shoulders of its wearers. Surprisingly attractive, this design not only silhouettes the body nicely, it protects it from UV rays. Another practical advantage of the long-sleeve swimsuit is it can act as a rash-guard. In fact, the design was partly inspired by the long-sleeve rash guards that divers and surfers wear underneath their wetsuits. This is the origin of the long-sleeve swimsuit’s nickname: “fash-guard.”    

Animal Prints

Along with the trends of high-cut leg and retro prints which took precedence in 2019 swimwear, animal print is a design that might never lose its appeal. The reason, of course, is that the coats of animals provide an endlessly beautiful pattern that never has to be created. Thankfully, the animal prints on most swimsuits are just that: prints. They’re not actual skins. Some animal prints that have made its way onto swimsuits include zebra, tiger, leopard, and snake, the last of which was displayed by Kendall Jenner in the form of a scant, two-piece bikini. Thanks to Kendall Jenner and the like, snake-print swimsuits might be trending more than all animal print swimwear.  

Sustainable Swimsuits

The worldwide trend of sustainability has finally come to swimwear. 2019 saw an influx of vegan, recycled, and other eco-friendly swimsuits invade the fashion industry. Since there is no indication that eco-awareness is declining, it appears that eco-friendly swimwear will trend upward through 2020 and the years that follow. Swimmers can now choose from suits made out of vegan leather, a faux leather comprised of sustainable materials like cork, recycled plastic, and even pineapple leaves. Vegan leather can take any form; two-piece and one-piece bikinis, as well as men’s trunks, can be bought from sustainable suppliers. Sustainability became such a hot topic in the swimwear world that 2019 Miami Swim Week opened with a competition by fashion students to see who could design the best swimsuit out of recycled fabric donated by ethical swimwear companies. Perhaps the 2020 event will have an entire show dedicated to sustainable swimsuits.

Swimwear is similar to dancewear in that the industry changes based on what is considered fashionable and practical. 2019 had its own innovations in regards to style, and so will 2020. Experts predict that long-sleeve swimsuits, animal prints, and sustainable swimwear will trend in this new year of ours. Of course, these are only predictions; 2020 will be full of surprises, and the swimwear industry will be no exception.