The annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SWIM made a big splash this year in Miami with the much-anticipated debut of Swell Suits Miami 2011 – the first all male swimwear group show to hit the runway. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SWIM was a “by invitation only” event featuring worldwide top swimwear designers showcasing their collections in two runway venues, the Cabaña Grande and the Oasis, as well as Raleigh’s pool and penthouse.

Swell Suits Miami 2011 features the exclusive Spring/Summer swimwear collections of designers Naila, Olasul and parke & ronen. The show premiered on July 16 at 8 PM at the Oasis in the historic Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach.

“This marks the launch of menswear getting the much-deserved attention in this all-important show,” said the producers of Swell Suits. “We are so excited to be making fashion history and believe this premiere marks a significant milestone that is greatly welcomed by the fashion community and IMG (the producers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SWIM).”

Men’s swimwear has come a long way in the last century. In the 1930s, men were still wearing full-body swimwear designed for modesty. Today, men’s swimwear offers versatile cuts, lengths, color and materials all designed to complement one’s physique.

This year’s featured Swell Suits Miami designers have established a design ethic with focus on detail and use of the finest materials.

Inspired by nature, Naila is oriented toward eco-friendly and innovative materials. Naila will be launching the first ever made recyclable and environmentally friendly men trunk short. Exclusively handmade in Italy, each piece in the collection features refined details, sleek silhouettes and European cuts in vibrant colorful palettes. Additional to the men line, Naila also carries an uber-chic women line and miniature version of daddy’s bathing suit.

Peruvian-born designer Lorenz Korder’s Olasul swimwear collection celebrates the unique Peruvian surf culture. Made from the highest quick-drying materials, the Olasul collection has been described as “chicly understated” with bold, funky colors. “Each piece tells a story and harkens back to a time and place where surfing was a gentleman’s sport,” Korder said.

parke & ronen – an exclusively all-male swimwear line – has grown to be a pioneer in the men’s swimwear world and a leader in the industry since 1997. The company has created a name for itself by reinventing the 50’s style men’s swim short with the creation of its signature Snap! Short. The company offers a range of styles, from knee-grazing board shorts to sexy briefs.

Randolph Engineering, as a sponsor of Swell Suits Miami will accessorize the models with their sleek lines of handcrafted premium sunglasses and shooting eyewear. Dee & Co. Hair Studio will work the backstage doing hair and makeup; owner of Dee & Co. Hair Studio and celebrity hair stylist, Dee Adames is also the winner of Bravo’s TV hit “Shear Genius” season 2.

Photographs by Betty Alvarez