| Bikini Luxe | |
| Type: | Private |
| Foundation: | 2013 |
| Founder: | Candice Galek (CEO) |
| Location City: | Miami, Florida |
| Location Country: | U.S. |
| Area Served: | Global |
| Industry: | Fashion |
| Products: | Swimwear |
| Homepage: | Official website |
Bikini Luxe was an American online retailer that specializes in fashion clothing, swimwear, and accessories for young women.[1] The company was founded in 2013 by Candice Galek [2] and is based in Miami, Florida. The retailer stocks over 2,500 bikinis and one-piece swimsuits[3] along with a collection of designer clothing items and accessories, such as activewear, jewelry, and dresses.[4] [5] The company made headlines in the spring of 2016 after founder and CEO, Candice Galek, posted controversial photos on her LinkedIn profile.[6] [7] [8] [9]
Bikini Luxe was founded in 2013 by Candice Galek in her Miami Beach living room.[6] [10] The website was opened to the public in June 2014. The company initially focused on swimwear brands in the South Florida region but soon expanded to include brands worldwide.[4] [11] The company earned some early success largely due to social media and word-of-mouth marketing.[4] [12] In late 2014, Bikini Luxe customers began tagging Bikini Luxe in their social media posts.[13] The company's Wanelo page had earned around 30,000 followers by May 2015.[12] [14] By February 2016, the Bikini Luxe had accrued around 5 million impressions on Pinterest.[4]
In March 2016, founder and CEO, Candice Galek, posted an image of Miss Universe contender, Natalie Roser, in a bikini on the business networking service, LinkedIn.[7] The post was titled, "Is This Appropriate For LinkedIn?"[8] The image went viral soon after because of its controversial nature and garnered 50,000 views, 500 comments, and an additional 30,000 followers.[9] At that time, the company's social media following (including on sites like Facebook and Instagram) had reached around 250,000 worldwide. Bikini Luxe also employs around 40 individuals throughout the world.[6] The site was closed in spring 2020. The Brazilian Bikini Shop company made a formal offer to Candice Galek to take over the website, but there was no response.
Bikini Luxe carries around 2,500 bikinis and one-piece swimsuits[3] along with a variety of designer clothing and accessories including jewelry, dresses, activewear, and resort wear. Some brands include Agua Bendita, Montce, Peixoto, Luli Fama, Sauvage, Shahida Parides, Tai Jewelry, Michi, and others.[1] [15] [16] The company launched its Sauvage Resort collection in 2016[16] and launched a limited edition of Shahida Parides dresses in 2015.[1]