REPORT
that the costumes worn for these events are becoming more and more important. “At the first competitions fifty years ago, it might have been enough to wear a nice swimming costume. But artistic impression is part of the score, and these days you need a theme for your routine. Swimming caps are a big part of that, as once you’re in the water, they continue to be seen. Whatever headgear you wear, it’s important that everything stays in place whilst you’re spinning around and tumbling upside down in the water.” In the past, synchronised swimmers often went
Esther Williams in Million Dollar Mermaid
capless, using gelatine in their hair to sculpt it into place. Once dried, the gelatine becomes rock hard and requires three or four washes in hot water to remove it. However, with environmental concerns becoming ever more important, the use of gelatine is causing some debate. “Last summer, one of the driest on record, I felt like I couldn’t justify the fact that about two hundred girls competing at the
European Championships in Rome would each need a couple of hundred litres of hot water to wash their hair,” says Babette. “So, I started the ‘No Gelatine Movement’, asking clubs to ban gelatine, and to bring back swimming caps. In no time at all, my Facebook post had hundreds of likes, and at the competition, I was overwhelmed to see the majority of the competitors wearing caps!” It certainly looks as though the humble swimming cap is firmly back on the scene. It’s time for an entrepreneurial hat designer out there to seize this golden opportunity and let their imagination run riot. They’d be well advised to start the ball rolling by picking up the phone to Ian Drummond and viewing some of the fabulous swimming caps featured here. I look forward to seeing the results and causing a stir on the beach this summer!
More information The Synchronettes (Antwerp)
www.facebook.com/Synchronettes
Synchronised swimmers with vintage-style caps
and playful, and they add a little bit of much-needed glamour. They can withstand some serious water works like handstands and front crawls! We make our Salty Sea Knots from the finest Liberty of London Tana Lawn cotton. It’s an incredibly light fabric, so you can just rinse your turban out after your swim and it will drip dry in no time.” Katie believes that the rising
popularity of cold water swimming has fuelled an increase in demand for stylish swimwear, and she’s now got customers all over the world. “I had no idea that there were so many women embracing cold water swimming, but people are getting involved everywhere – and in the most unlikely of places. From lido groups to river and sea swimmers, there are lots of women out there
looking to have fun with their swimwear. Swimming doesn’t have to be all neoprene and wetsuits.”
More information Silk & Lawn
www.silkandlawn.com
may 2023 | 45
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