Keiko New York

The store itself is not so pretty, but I guess it’s what’s inside that counts. You can find some great staple swimsuit pieces that aren’t way out there, but are nonetheless different from what you’ll find off the rack. Her credentials are all over the walls in all of the fab ads. And what’s even better is that the designer herself can help you make it fit just right. The pieces I’ve had have lasted longer than I want to admit, and it’s time to go back.

This past February I was invited to a movie star’s pool party at a hotel in Manhattan. I wanted to make a good impression and come off as charming, funny, memorable – perhaps inspiring post-​party comments like, «Who was that hilarious kid? We should have him back ’round” – but I knew my $ 7 K-​Mart swimming trunks were going to be a liability. It was time for a new suit.
I have an allergic reaction to anything overpriced, but recently I’ve come to the realization that I often *waste* money by buying really cheap sh*t that falls apart in two weeks. Armed with this principle, and the fact that it was February and swimsuits were hard to come by, I went to see Keiko.
Keiko is not only the name of the shop, it’s the name of the adorable, middle-​aged Japanese lady who designs the clothes and runs the business. When I arrived (you have to press a buzzer to get in), she welcomed me into a large, sunlit room full of custom-​made swimsuits of every shape and color. After I explained my situation to her, she chuckled, then promptly picked three suits off the racks and told me to head for the dressing room.
For the next 20 minutes, there was a steady stream of swimsuits being handed in to me through the curtain, tried on, assessed, and handed back out. From time to time I would step out to get Keiko’s input. Containing her amusement (imagine blazingly white love handles rolling over the wasteband of a tight-​fitting suit), she would make a helpful comment, then hand me another three suits to try on.
It was very difficult to decide, but half an hour later I left with a $ 110 chestnut brown swimsuit that feels like it was made specifically for my ass. It is a snug little squared-​off short type suit, more modest than a Speedo but less modest than the baggy trunks I have always worn. And it looks fantastic. Even with the love handles! I know I will get every dollar of quality out of it in the coming years.
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Postscript: I and my killer swimsuit made a good impression at the celebrity pool party. After I left, they were all, «Who was that hilarious kid? We should have him back ’round.» Next stop: the Oscars!

It’s like a swimwear version of American Apparel where you’ll find simple, practical and monochrome collections for both men and women… except they custom design your own pieces so that there’s no discomfort whatsoever. That’s right — a size «ME» that requires no extra stuffing and pulling before heading out to the beach.
But despite that, I like this place… just because.