L’été Is a Russian Model-Founded Swimwear Label in Egypt

Lili Viktorova has lived in Russia, spent years in Bali and now divides her time between Cairo and El Gouna. L'été, her swimwear label, sits somewhere between those places.

The idea first took shape while she was living in Bali, where she immersed herself in the island's beach culture and, just as importantly, met the Asian manufacturers who would later help turn her sketches into finished pieces. "Living there really inspired me to start a swimwear brand of my own, with that easygoing beach lifestyle in mind," she says. "It also gave me the opportunity to get acquainted with Asian manufacturers and learn how to bring my designs to life."

It wasn't until she moved to Egypt four years ago that the project became practical. Looking for swimwear herself, she found little that matched what she wanted to wear. "There was always a problem with the material, the fit, and finding things that matched the minimalist aesthetic style that I like," she says. Designing her own became the obvious next step.

Today, Viktorova describes L'été as an attempt "to capture that feeling of summer, the freedom, confidence and beauty of embracing every moment, wherever you are."

The latest collection keeps that approach but shifts the palette. Last season's muted colours have given way to brighter shades of pink and red. "My new collection is much more summery," Viktorova says. "I like to play around with colours, so I've used a lot more pinks and reds compared to last season."