Swimwear Saga

Warning: I am about to irritate you with my whimpering.

While in Aruba a couple of weekends ago, tragedy struck my beloved purple Eres bikini: the color bleached right out of it. I'd bought it towards the end of the summer so I'd only been able to wear it a couple of times. I hadn't even washed it yet. After a day of frolicking in sand and surf, I came back to my hotel to shower, and while removing it, noticed that the color seemed much duller. I hoped it was just the bathroom lighting, but as it dried, I realized in horror that the lovely, saturated purple had indeed turned a weak, faint lavender. A few unaffected areas of the inside and on the straps where I'd tied it around my neck confirmed the color change.

It was mind-boggling, as I'd brought other suits on the same vacay (including a cheap $7 H&M bikini), none of which were affected. Because of its impeccable fit and gorgeous color, it was my favorite suit to date.  I'm not in the habit of spending $400 on teeny bikinis, so naturally, I was heartbroken. I've long considered Eres suits to be the gold standard in swimwear, and would often cut out photos from resort editorials as a teenager, aspiring to someday own one. I considered it an investment when I finally bought one last summer and thus, was extra careful in handling it, rinsing only in cool water and tucking it away in its plastic case once dry, far from the dangers of accidental snags. I was so happy with it that I really thought I'd only buy Eres suits going forward.

Once back stateside, I rushed the ruined suit to the Eres store after work as if it were the ER, hoping the salesgirls could tell me how to revive or replace it. I swore I'd never let it touch water again if that's what it took to maintain the color (ridiculous, I know, but it really was that lovely, and in my opinion, worth it even if just for sunbathing). The salesgirls gasped when I showed them and one commented that she'd "never seen anything like it." I wanted to shout, "Neither have I! Please do something! Save my (very expensive) baby!" I couldn't believe that the H&M suit, which wasn't expected to survive beyond a few wears, outlasted the Eres, as one would expect a certain level of quality from purveyors of high-end luxury swimwear. Was it a lesson, a punishment for my extravagant indulgence? I'm actually embarrassed that I'm so upset about it, but I can't help it. It's the principle that bothers me. I'm really hoping it was just a one-time fluke and not indicative of the overall quality of their products.

Anyway, the salesgirl told me they'd send it to customer service (in France) for the head of customer service to decide its fate. Even if they can reimburse me or give me store credit, I can't get the same suit again, as it was part of the Spring/Summer collection. I was a bit irked that a store manager couldn't take the situation into his/her own hands and settle it, as it obviously happened through no fault of the customer, but I suppose that's their policy. The head of customer service was away on holiday, so I've been waiting in nail-biting agony for a response. I'll keep you posted.

Photo credit: www.eres.fr