Made for the Explorer in You

Like you, I live to travel. Discovering new places, trying local food and interacting with locals – what’s more thrilling? I love exploring cities with rich architecture, great restaurants and nightlife and one-of-a-kind museums and galleries. But I do love me a good beach getaway, bonus if it comes with a villa and gorgeous pool. But I’m not content to spend time just lying in the sun. I’ve got itchy feet so would much rather jump in the pool, do some yoga or get out and do some snorkeling. So I designed our latest active swim collection to allow you to pack less, as they're reversible, mix-and-match and multi-use, taking you from beach, to workout, to a day of sightseeing. Go carry-on only, I dare you!

Be Good to the Earth, We’ve Only Got One

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries out there, so we can do our part by wearing recycled fabrics. What does that mean? Swimwear is made from synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester, which are derived from petroleum products. They’re essentially plastics that don’t biodegrade for CENTURIES. Our raw material is waste plastic, such as fishnets and carpeting - think about the metres and metres of brand new carpeting used for a 3-day convention in Las Vegas that is then ripped out and thrown away. My supplier melts it down and spins it into fibres that are then woven into fabric. Also by using digital printing for all of my custom prints, we reduce the amount of ink and dye used in the process and reduce the amount of fabric wasted overall.

Who Made Your Clothes?

On 24 April 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed. There were five garment factories there all making clothes for big global brands. Over 1,000 people died and another 2,500 were injured, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. When you think of fast fashion, a large proportion of of brands produce in facilities such as these, paying workers only $95 per month (or even less, as this is the legal minimum wage in Bangladesh) for long hours of work in unsafe conditions.

As an independent brand, we are committed to ensuring we use production facilities that are safe and treat their workers fairly. We have moved manufacturing to a factory in Bali, Indonesia that pays its workers well over twice the legal minimum. Most team members have been with them for over ten years, and all employees and their families are fully covered under company medical insurance.

Made to Last

I want to be the antithesis of fast fashion so you buy less stuff (from me and everyone else!) My bathing suits are built to last from high quality fabrics so you can wear it year after year, trip after trip. My timeless styles transcend fads, and I’ve stopped doing seasonal collections so you never need to worry about looking dated. Our latest collections use top quality Italian-made fabric. Aside from being recycled and sustainable, it contains XtraLife Lycra® to help retain its shape, it is ultra chlorine resistant, sun creams & oil resistant and has excellent UV protection. Made to last, our swimsuits are designed to stand the test of chemicals, sun, salt, and soap, unforgettable holiday after unforgettable holiday.

Hi, I’m Toni, and I created August Society

I'm the definition of a third-culture kid: I was born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada, did my MBA in Europe, and now I have been living in Singapore for 10 years. I'm not a fashion designer by training; I come from the corporate world, but have dreamed of taking a more creative and entrepreneurial path. Having travelled to over 50 countries, I wanted to make products that can integrate seamlessly into any trip, no matter where you go in the world. I also wanted to craft a brand that aligned with my values: the desire to keep learning, the impatience to discover new places and the need to be better citizen of the world. I couldn’t ignore any longer the damage done to our societies and ecosystems by fast fashion.

I create all of my own prints and select every aspect of every design. Step-by-step, I’m consciously embracing ethical and sustainable choices for production and materials. I hope you'll enjoy wearing these pieces as much as I enjoyed creating them. If you have any questions for me, drop me a note at toni {at} augustsociety {dot} com.

Why the name “August Society”?

My hubby is French and spent his childhood summers at his family’s vacation house in Corsica. Most people in Southern Europe - think France, Italy, Spain, etc.- spend August on holiday and workplaces grind to a halt (good luck getting a plumber from end of July to mid-September!) The masses flock to the coast and spend that time bathing in the sun and sea and enjoying long lazy lunches surrounded by friends and family. I wanted to capture that spirit in my brand, that effortless joie de vivre where you get to become your other, holiday, self. This is the August Society, and I hope you’ll want to become a part of it.