About Us
sisters and co-founders, Lisa Letarte Cabrinha & Michele Letarte Ross
In Hawaiian culture, the Aloha spirit is not just a salutation.
It is the joyful sharing of life’s energy.
At Letarte, that tradition continues by adding the spirit of the South Seas to every tropical luxe creation.
The swimwear collection, which started as a single bathing suit sold in a Hawaiian beachside shop, has grown over the past nine years to include gorgeous cover-ups, caftans, dresses and sportswear that can be found all over the world. The intricately detailed swimsuits and sportswear adorn Hollywood’s elite and have graced the covers of international fashion magazines, including the coveted cover of the 2005 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
Lisa Letarte Cabrinha and Michele Letarte Ross are the sisters behind the label and lead the company from opposite sides of the continent. It all began when Lisa, a professional windsurfer living on the islands, longed to find flirty swimwear that matched her lifestyle.
“I’ve always been a sporty girl, with a very girly-girl side to me,” explains Lisa. “I wanted to wear bathing suits to reflect just that. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to create it myself. Pristine quality with sensible yet seductive designs.”
With the sultry sunsets as her backdrop and her bohemian lifestyle as her inspiration, Lisa creates each piece by combining eclecticism, romance, luxury and practicality. Not only does she target and develop chic fashion trends, she creates them from her tropical surroundings and worldly experiences. An exotic trip to Tahiti, a vintage dress, an elephant charm, and a peacock’s feather find their way into this season’s fresh line, along with hot tie dye prints, lush florals, and an intense ikat motif.
While Lisa is designing Letarte’s signature designs in the Pacific office, Michele continues to expand the label from the Atlantic office by increasing distribution globally, most recently broadening Letarte’s exposure in Asia and Europe. Thanks to Michele’s industry experience, Letarte Swimwear’s striking designs and silhouettes are sold worldwide—hanging on the rack at a South Beach boutique and displayed on the shelves at a posh resort in St. Barts.
It’s the unique sister duo that has made Letarte such a desirable brand, marking effortless style the core focus. Their commitment to enduring quality and timeless designs keeps loyal customers coming back each season, as well as attracting new devotees. You’ll see the hand-embroidered pieces adorning famous beachgoers around the world, including Elle McPherson, Heidi Klum, Carolyn Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Eva Longoria Parker, Cindy Crawford, Beyonce Knowles and Paris Hilton.
And it’s not just customers who recognize the subtlety of Letarte’s designs and exquisite craftsmanship. Letarte’s “Marge” ring bikini was featured on the cover of Bergdorf Goodman’s exclusive catalog, marking the first time the retailer profiled a swimwear designer. Vogue, Sports Illustrated, ELLE, Us Weekly, InStyle, People Style Watch, Self, Glamour and Cosmopolitan are also ardent fans of Letarte’s embellished style.
“There’s an indescribable feeling that comes over you when you see a design become real. An abstract concept—perhaps finding a piece of sea glass, watching a crashing wave, feeling the afternoon’s warm sun—transformed into our collection, capturing the texture, flavors and patterns of that moment. So just imagine the thrill when you see a customer wearing and enjoying our designs, exactly as we hoped.” Michele Letarte Ross
Aloha.