In honor of The World Cup, it’s time for another installment from my Gosto Do Brasil series highlighting Brazilian Designers.

Brazil is known for sultry, sexy, colorful and ultra skimpy swimwear.

Legions of bathing beauties and swimwear aficionados from around the world look to Brazil for the latest styles, cuts, trends and fits in swimwear and all of Brazil looks to its Queen Bee of swimwear, Lenny Niemeyer.

Known for transforming the swimwear industry from crass to chic, Lenny began her unexpected career in swimwear in the early 1980s out of necessity.  Like many other women she couldn’t find proper fitting bikinis that suited her style so she gave up trying and took up a new career. She hired a seamstress and with small amounts of fabric she started to design precisely the swimsuits she had imagined. Previously a renowned landscape architect, her love of nature influences her print design and aesthetic.

Lenny has since established herself as true fashion legend. In 1993, after 10 years of designing and manufacturing bikinis for other, famous Brazilian labels, Lenny decided to create her own brand by opening her first store in Ipanema. Since her runway debut in 1997, the name Lenny has become synonymous with high-fashion swimwear appearing on the pages of everything from Sports Illustrated to Vogue and worn by fashion fabulous women around the world such as Nicole Kidman, Lady Gaga, Carolina Herrera, Gisele Bündchen, Naomi Campbell, Isabelli Fontana and Izabel Goulart.

“I create glamorous looks with distinctive elements. I design for the independent, chic woman and my suits are meant to highlight their femininity, beauty and charm.” -Lenny Niemeyer

Click to Shop some of my Favorite Swimwear from Lenny Niemeyer: