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Trading in a cold and grey Melbourne winter for balmy Bali, Indonesia sounds like a pretty great idea right? Well thats exactly what our good friend and collaborator Kirsten Sikiotis, captain of Maidenlove has done since launching her brand in 2010. Kirsten has been creating some of our favourite bikinis as well as a range of clothing and accessories and we are lucky enough to work with her every Summer on a range of LILYA X Maidenlove swimwear. So to gain more insight we chatted to Kirsten a little about Maidenlove, her Bikini muses and summer must haves.
Tell us a little about yourself and your brand Maidenlove?
Maidenlove was born in Bali, 5 years ago, where I made my first swimwear range. It was a labour of love, hence the name Maidenlove, playing on Made in Love and being a made up name I like to call my ship / vessel / means for me to be creative and to do what I am passionate about in this life. As maiden also means first, the brand ethos is always about following my heart, my first love, being creative and designing. I am so grateful to be doing what I love each day, collaborating with great people like Lisa of Lilya, producing in Bali and working with genuine, hard working, creative, passionate people. All the people I work with become my friends so I enjoy the process everyday.
What influences your designs?
I always begin making something I want to wear. Being a Gemini the styling is always eclectic and spontaneous between ranges and even within one collection, and are positively driven by my emotional state when it comes to designing the range. There are often vintage references with something a little bit nautical and a little bit cowgirl and a always a wild animal print. I value a point of difference so developed our own hardware too with my husband who is a jewellery designer / art director.
What is your favourite swimsuit from the latest Lilya x Maidenlove Collaboration?
I LOVE the paisley print (channeling the cowgirl in me) in the classic underwire Sala Swimsuit. I love to wear a one piece as a bodysuit with shorts or jeans and since having my beautiful son, I feel one pieces are much more flattering for me this summer.
Who would you love to see wearing one of your designs?
Oooohhh this changes all the time but I would LOVE Georgia May Jagger to do a campaign for us. I love Emily Blunt’s look and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s style. As far as Aussie girls go, I would love to see Emma Booth, Bella Heathcote and Pania Rose in a Maidenlove campaign. Gorgeous, striking, natural beauties. Our latest campaign shot by the super talented and down to earth Jennifer Stenglein of Ilona Novacek really captured our brand perfectly, with these strong, womanly, graceful, energetic, positive and powerful images. They were electric and the energy was really captured in the imagery.
What would we find in your beach bag?
In my Maidenlove Wild Thing print beach bag, you will find my Sala Swimsuit, a Navy double sized anchor towel, Lucy Folk Azul blue mirror lensed sunglasses, Dermaclear Organic 30+ sunscreen, Bali Pura Pure Love Auric Spray, a trucker cap, a stainless steel water bottle and my Kundalini Yoga teacher’s manual.
Favourite Summer holiday location?
Ithaca, the Greek island where my husband’s family is from.
Shop the LILYA x Maidenlove swim range here.
FOLLOW MADIENLOVE
maidenlove.net
@heartmaidenlove
#spreadthelove
#maidenlove
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The post Interview | Kirsten Sikiotis of Maidenlove appeared first on Lilya.