The Best Latin American Swimwear and Resort-Wear Brands: Johanna Ortiz, Agua Bendita, PatBO, Farm Rio and More
Some links may earn Jet Set LatAm a commission at no additional cost to you. Recommendations remain editorially independent.
Photo: rasaints / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, for context.
There is a reason so many of the world’s most photographed swimsuits come from Colombia and Brazil. These are beach cultures, yes, but also places with serious textile skill: embroiderers, pattern makers and factories that have been perfecting swimwear for decades. The result is resort wear that looks like it was made for a long lunch in Cartagena, because it probably was.
Here are the Latin American swimwear and resort-wear brands worth knowing, what to buy first from each, and where in the region you will want to wear it.
Quick picks: Agua by Agua Bendita for hand-embroidered statement swim, Johanna Ortiz for the ruffled one-piece that goes from pool to dinner, Farm Rio for joyful prints at an easier price, and Escvdo for a crochet cover-up that will outlive your suitcase.
Colombia
Johanna Ortiz
Founded in 2003, Johanna Ortiz started as a swimwear line and grew into one of Latin America’s most successful fashion houses, known for ruffles, cascading tiers, off-the-shoulder cuts and vivid prints. Buy first: a ruffled one-piece, which works on its own or under a wrap skirt for lunch.
Agua by Agua Bendita
Friends Catalina Álvarez and Mariana Hinestroza launched Agua Bendita in 2003, sewing their first suits from leftover fabric on their grandmothers’ machines. Their luxury line, Agua by Agua Bendita, followed in 2018 with hand-illustrated prints and intricate hand embroidery made with local artisans. Buy first: an embroidered one-piece or a matching set; this is the brand people ask about at the pool.
Silvia Tcherassi
The Colombian designer brings a couture background to resort wear: fluid dresses, polished swim and the kind of sophistication that suits a candlelit dinner in Cartagena’s walled city. Buy first: a dress that doubles as your nicest beach-to-dinner look.
Also from Colombia: Maygel Coronel’s sculptural swimwear, which we covered in Cartagena.
Brazil
PatBO
Brazilian designer Patricia Bonaldi is known for glamorous embroidery and bold silhouettes, and her swim is just as dressed-up. You will find it at luxury department stores in the US. Buy first: a beaded or embellished cover-up for sunset drinks.
Farm Rio
Founded by Katia Barros and Marcello Bastos, Farm Rio bottles the color of Rio de Janeiro into tropical prints, and it is widely available through its own stores and retailers like Anthropologie. Buy first: a printed maxi dress; it packs flat and photographs like a postcard.
Peru
Escvdo
Peruvian sisters Giuliana and Chiara Macchiavello, both Central Saint Martins graduates, founded Escvdo to celebrate Peru’s textile heritage. The brand works with hundreds of artisans across the country, most of them women, using organic Pima cotton from Pisco and Andean alpaca. Buy first: a crochet dress or knit cover-up; the fringe is applied by hand.
The evening layer: Latin American eveningwear
For the resort dinner that deserves more than a cover-up, two houses with Latin American roots are worth a look: Carolina Herrera, founded by the Venezuelan designer, and Oscar de la Renta, founded by the Dominican designer. Both do the polished resort dress beautifully. Read more in our Carolina Herrera guide.
Shop every Latin American designer edit on ShopMy
Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta and the rest of our Latin American Luxe Fashion collections live in one place.
Where to wear it
- Cartagena: embroidered swim by day at the Rosario Islands, a Tcherassi or Ortiz dress for dinner in the walled city. See our Cartagena guide.
- Rio de Janeiro: Farm Rio prints in Ipanema, PatBO for a rooftop sunset. Our Rio boutique guide shows where to shop.
- Trancoso and José Ignacio: crochet and linen for barefoot luxury. Our packing guide builds the full suitcase.
- San Andrés and Providencia: bright swim for the sea of seven colors. Read the island guide.
Guided experiences — Cartagena and the Rosario Islands
FAQ
Why is so much good swimwear made in Colombia?
Colombia has a deep swimwear manufacturing industry, especially around Medellín and Cali, plus a strong tradition of hand embroidery. That combination produces high-quality, detailed suits.
Which Latin American swimwear brand is the most affordable?
Of the brands here, Farm Rio is the easiest entry point. The original Agua Bendita line is also less expensive than its luxury sister, Agua by Agua Bendita.
How do I care for embroidered swimwear?
Rinse in cool fresh water after salt or chlorine, hand wash gently, and dry flat in the shade. Never wring it out.
Keep reading
- Latin American fashion designer directory
- 7 Latin American designers worth celebrating
- Latina-owned beauty brands to know and shop
- Shop the Edit on ShopMy
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy or book through them, Jet Set LatAM may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Brand details were researched in October 2026 and can change.
Your next good read
Keep exploring with Jet Set LatAM
Go deeper into the destination or follow a shared interest through these stories.
Turn inspiration into a journey
Make room for this in your next trip.
Notes from the Jet Set world
A little inspiration.
A beautiful next trip.
New stories, city discoveries and the Jet Set edit, delivered to your inbox.
Free to join. Unsubscribe whenever you like. Privacy & disclosure
Planning this trip? Save the places you love and build your itinerary in the Jet Set LatAM app.
Search flights with Skyscanner
Choose your airports and dates. Results open on Skyscanner.
This search uses affiliate tracking and may earn Jet Set LatAM a commission at no extra cost to you.
Compare stays in Colombia
The map starts around Bogotá. Search for the town or area that fits your route, then compare dates, total prices and cancellation terms.