Some fabrics come and go. Ours became a signature.
For over a decade, PQ Swim's hand-cut lace has been one of the most recognizable elements of the brand. It started with a handful of black and white bikinis. The response was immediate, and the rest is history that's still being written.
What began as a swimwear collection has grown into something much bigger: bikinis, cover-ups, skirts, and pants in a full spectrum of color, all made using the same artisanal process that made the originals so special.
Where It Started
The original lace collection was straightforward: timeless black and white swimwear with a level of craftsmanship that was rarely seen in the swim industry.
Women fell for it immediately. The delicate scalloped edges. The way the silhouettes managed to feel both feminine and quietly confident at once. It wasn't just another bikini. It was the bikini. The one women packed for every trip, reached for every season, and couldn't stop recommending to their friends.
And here's the thing: lace swimwear has a reputation for being intimidating. Too delicate. Too much. Not for everyone. That reputation falls apart the moment you actually try it on. The feedback we hear constantly, "I never thought I'd be a lace bikini girl, but I have never felt better or gotten more compliments on a swimsuit in my life," says it better than we ever could.
That's what good lace does. It's sexy without trying too hard. Feminine without being fussy. The kind of piece that surprises you.
As the collection grew, so did the color palette. What started in black and white expanded into vibrant seasonal shades: timeless navy, soft pastels, classic PQ pinks, and bold reds, while the craftsmanship that made the lace iconic stayed exactly the same.
Every Piece Starts by Hand
Long before a lace bikini reaches the beach, it begins in Colombia with a pair of scissors.
Unlike traditional swimwear cut by machine, every PQ lace garment is hand-cut individually. For a single bikini top, there can be more than 15 separate lace pieces that need to be carefully cut before construction even begins. That's before a single stitch.
At the center of this process is Diana, whose role at PQ is dedicated entirely to hand-cutting lace production. Every piece of lace that enters production passes through her hands first. No automated machinery. No shortcuts. Just years of experience and a level of precision that machines simply can't replicate.
What makes PQ lace truly distinct is the fabric itself. It contains three different scallop sizes woven throughout the design, and every cut works with those variations intentionally. A bikini might end at the smallest scallop. A skirt might showcase the middle. Another piece might feature the largest pattern entirely. Every edge is a decision. Nothing is accidental.
From Swimwear to a Full Vacation Wardrobe
As the lace bikinis became bestsellers, the demand for more was hard to ignore.
The collection expanded into apparel, giving women the ability to build an entire vacation wardrobe around one fabric. The Water Lily Noah Tunic became a cover-up obsession for a reason: it layers over any suit and transitions straight to dinner without skipping a beat. The Malibu Lace Pants became the piece everyone wants to know about. Low-rise, scalloped, and made from the same signature lace, they are technically a cover-up and yet somehow feel like the whole outfit.
And for those who want to take it further, Luxe Layers were made for exactly this. Slip a Luxe Layer underneath a lace tunic or the Malibu Pants and what was a beach cover-up becomes a sophisticated, one-of-a-kind night-out look. Same lace. Completely different energy.
Beach to dinner. Poolside to resort. Suitcase to sunset. The lace moves with you.
Crafted to Be Finished by You
One of the quieter details worth knowing: many lace apparel styles are intentionally designed to be customized.
Because the scalloped pattern repeats throughout the fabric, styles like the Malibu Lace Pants can be trimmed to your preferred length without compromising the design. The lace stays balanced. You just get to decide where it ends. It's a thoughtful detail, and one that makes the fit feel truly personal.
No Two Pieces Are Exactly Alike
After every panel is hand-cut, the pieces are sewn together, transforming dozens of separate components into a single garment. Finishing details like end caps and logo hardware are applied by hand before each piece clears quality control.
Because every garment is individually cut and assembled, no two are ever exactly alike. The lace placement may vary slightly. The scallops may fall just a little differently. The differences are subtle, but they make each piece uniquely its own. In an era of mass production, that level of care is increasingly worth paying attention to.
The One You'll Be Asked About All Summer
PQ lace has never been about trends. It's timeless, considered, and immediately recognizable.
It's the piece women pack first, wear for years, and come back to season after season, often after swearing they weren't a lace person. Every scallop, every panel, every hand-placed detail represents hours of skilled work by artisans who have spent years getting it exactly right.
The result isn't just a bikini, a dress, or a cover-up. It's the one everyone asks about.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes PQ Swim lace bikinis different from other lace swimwear? Every PQ lace garment is hand-cut (not machine-cut) from a proprietary fabric containing three distinct scallop sizes. A single bikini top requires 15+ individually cut panels before construction begins. The result is a level of precision and variation that mass-produced lace swimwear can't replicate.
Are PQ Swim lace bikinis suitable for swimming? Yes. PQ lace bikini tops and bottoms are designed and constructed for beach and pool use. Lace cover-ups, tunics, and pants are designed to be worn over swimwear.
Can PQ lace cover-ups be altered at home? Many styles, including the Malibu Lace Pants, are intentionally designed to be trimmed to your preferred length. Because the scalloped pattern repeats throughout the fabric, cutting it won't disrupt the design.
Where is PQ Swim lace made? PQ lace is hand-cut and constructed in Colombia by artisans, including Diana, whose role is dedicated entirely to lace production.
What lace bikini styles does PQ Swim offer? The core lace swim collection includes triangle tops, halter tops, underwire tops, bralette tops, fanned bottoms, and tie-side bottoms in both teeny and full coverage cuts. Seasonal colorways are introduced with each season. Water Lily and Midnight are available year-round.
Author: Amber Delecce
