Swim Fever: 20 Fabulous Swimsuits

Edited by Zosia Baroody

April showers bring… May showers?  While the weather has been acting bonkers lately, (Uhm, rain for almost three weeks in a row? Not cool.) Memorial Day weekend is only a few days away.  In other words, it’s time for the biggest bikini showdown of the year.  And now that 80° has hit NYC, we’re dying to wip out our swimsuits, lay out under Mr. Sun and tan the living shit out of our skin get a nice, healthy dose of vitamin D!  Just like everything else, bathing suits stretch out and deteriorate over time, and no one likes to look at a saggy bottom.  Lucky for you, we’ve found 20 on trend swimsuits that are perfect for summer poolside lounging.

Billabong Hits the Billablog for Spring 2012 Collaboration with Oracle Fox

Edited by Jessica Lapidos

Seems like Billabong has been surfing the blogosphere for inspiration. Billabong’s Design Director Mandy Robinson has been obsessing over Oracle Fox, especially since her trip to Australia. Amanda Shadforth, the blogger behind Oracle Fox, grew up surfboard under foot, friends at the ready, even now, to chill on Sydney’s beaches. Her blog fuses that super chill lifestyle with her sleek style interpretation through editorials, icons, designer interviews and the likes on a plate of positive brights. Thus the Billabong team approached Oracle Fox to collaborate on a Spring/Summer 2012 collection. 

15 Patriotic Pieces We Love

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

Too much patriotism can come off as daunting, especially when literally wearing your heart for America on your sleeve. But when done right, one piece at a time, some stars, stripes, red, white and blue can look fantastic. Here are the top 15 patriotic pieces we love right now during our month of Americana.

Billabong’s 5th Annual Design for Humanity was a Smashing Success

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

One of FashionIndie favorite brands Billabong held its fifth annual Design For Humanity event in Hollywood last week. Not only did this spectacular affair bring together the best of music, art and fashion, but Billabong raised more than $120,000 for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Read more about this fantastic event and see all the photos after the jump.

Cool Kids Billabong & Alexandra Cassaniti Join Forces for a Limited Edition Collab

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

Effortlessly cool designer Alexandra Cassaniti has teamed with our favorite summer beach brand Billabong to create a line of limited-edition tees we can’t get enough of. If your love for the ocean is as strong as ours, you’re going to dig this collection, hitting Billabong.com on June 17.

Bargain Alert: 50 Dresses Less Than $50

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

When summer starts to get really hot with one 95 degree day after another, I start to run out of new dresses. It never fails: by July, I’m sick of everything I own and raid all the thrift stores in the city for cheap and (sometimes) shapeless muumuus. If you have the same summer wardrobe issue, not to fear. We found 50 dresses for less than $50 you’re going to love.

WIN: Two Tickets to Billabong’s “Design For Humanity” Event

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

Live in Los Angeles and dying to see Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros? If so, you’re in luck. On Wednesday, June 15, Billabong’s 5th Annual “Design For Humanity” Event is being held at Paramount Studios in Hollywood to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. This massive fashion-music-art block party will feature two concert stages, three DJ stations, a runway fashion show showcasing one of a kind Billabong bikinis and an art auction. How can you snag 2 FREE tickets to this awesome event? Click through to find out.

13 Bags to Bum the Beach, Under $50 Each

Edited by Jessica Lapidos

Your beach bag gets tossed around the sand like it’s a damn frisbee, so perhaps it’s better to bring a cheapie with you. Don’t fret about getting it sea salty, that’s what it’s there to do. Just make sure you put your iPhone in a Ziploc.

20 Day-to-Night Dresses for Every Personality

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

You work hard and play hard, many times going out to dinner or drinks after leaving the office. Finding the perfect dress to take your from day to night can be a headache if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Our guide below will help you decide what mood you want to channel and all the dresses that will complement your personal style. From a blazer or cardigan to bare shoulder and big earrings, these dresses will carry you flawlessly from day to night.

Featured Photographer: Sonny Vandevelde

Edited by Andy Wass

Sonny Vandevelde is a European-born, Sydney-raised photographer. Fed up with the unimaginative “tunnel vision” of his photography instructors, he dropped out of college and learned his craft his own way. His father did lighting on film sets, so Vandevelde picked up equipment and technical knowledge from working with him.

Vandevelde started in sports photography for Australian magazines and moved onto catalog work for Quiksilver. From his personal photography of friends, he got into documenting local night life and learning about the fashion world. At this point he’s more of a Cobrasnake than a Leibowitz, focusing more on the personality of the models and subjects than the technicalities and traditions of his work. In much of his backstage work, models are smiling!

A “lifestyle-fashion photographer,” Vandevelde describes his work as “colorful…energetic…vibrant”

Vandevelde’s portfolio includes campaigns for Lucky Brand Jeans, Lee Jeans, Billabong, and Tommy Hilfiger, and his work has also appeared in Pulp, Link, Hint, Cosmopolitan, and other publications. His signature is documenting the backstage at runway shows and speaking out against formulaic magazines whose editorials don’t let the personalities of the models shine through.

Interview with Vandevelde here.