About

Our Story - HartiSWIM: Wearable Art Meets Ocean-Sized Attitude

Welcome to HartiSWIM, where swimwear isn’t just something you slip on - it’s a manifesto in recycled Lycra. Born on the windswept shores of the British Isles and soaked in original hand-painted pop art, HartiSWIM turns every poolside, pier, and sandy runway into your personal art installation.

Founded by Scottish fashion force Tessa Hartmann CBE - brand strategist, style visionary, and general troublemaker in the best possible sense, HartiSWIM was never meant to be another boring bikini brand. It was crafted to explode onto the scene with colour, conscience, and a serious side-eye to fast fashion. Think of it as eco-luxe couture with a fin, darling.

At the creative core is Harti - artist, provocateur, and visual storyteller whose work has travelled far beyond the canvas. Long before her art ever touched Lycra, Harti’s pieces were turning heads on the international art circuit, exhibiting everywhere from London’s iconic Saatchi Gallery, to the vibrant cultural scene of Seoul, and the historic, art-drenched streets of Venice. Yes darling - that Venice.

These exhibitions didn’t just showcase art, they cemented Harti’s signature style: expressive, emotive, unapologetically bold. And eventually, it begged a new question… why should art stay on walls?

But let’s get real: beauty without purpose is just decoration. Every HartiSWIM suit is spun from recycled plastic bottles rescued from our oceans - yes, the very stuff choking marine life, and transformed into swimwear that’s bold, joyful, and beyond sustainable. In fact one swimsuit = 13.1 recycled plastic bottles - a certified fact darlings.

Sustainability here isn’t greenwashing with a glam filter, it’s serious style with serious impact. From couture-worthy silhouettes to pop-charged prints, these suits are made to last forever (or at least, until you absolutely wear them into legend).

2025: Our Miami Moment 🌴

Here’s where things get deliciously juicy. In 2025, HartiSWIM took its first major bow on the global stage with a USA debut at Miami Swim Week The Shows, one of the most coveted runways in luxury swim fashion. The brand didn’t arrive quietly. Oh no. We brought theatrical storytelling, hard-hitting visuals about ocean pollution, and a runway moment that had everyone from editors to influencers actually feeling something. Think visual storytelling, original score composed by Harti himself and a live performance by one of our co-founders Tallia Storm. 

South Beach was buzzing like the art-crowd’s latest blockbuster. The audience didn’t just watch, they felt it. Because HartiSWIM’s fashion isn’t just worn… it’s experienced.

What We Believe

We are more than a label. We’re art meets activism, sewn together with family, music, and a wicked sense of humour. We pledge part of our sales to protect the oceans we draw inspiration from. We make suits that turn heads and start conversations. And we do it all unapologetically, because style with substance never goes out of fashion.

HartiSWIM: For the sirens, the rebels, the art-lovers, the eco-warriors - and anyone who believes that sustainable fashion should always have a sass flare.