Where To Buy A Brazilian Bikini In Rio De Janeiro

The Brazilian fio dental (a thong-style bikini, literally translating to dental floss) captured the fashion world’s attention and made Brazil famous for its beach attire. The oft-heard phrase, when in Rome, here rings true: when in Rio, buying a bikini is a must. As expected from this famous coastal city, Rio has plenty of bikini stores. Culture Trip looks at where to buy yours – from tiny thongs local-style to the less revealing!

Lenny Niemeyer

High-end Lenny Niemeyer is one of the best and well-known bikini brands in Brazil with styles that are inspired by the patterns of nature. There is a huge range of styles, from one-pieces and skimpy bikinis to high-necked tops and high-waisted bottoms. If you want to move away from the thong bottoms, there are slightly larger bikini bottom styles here but be aware – they are still considerable smaller than standard European and American styles. http://instagram.com/p/BOCieh0DzJ3/?taken-by=lennyniemeyer

BumBum Ipanema

While hovering in the upscale brand region, BumBum is considerable more reasonable price-wise than Lenny Niemeyer, and also stocks beautifully flattering pieces and styles. Here, there are less revealing options as well as plenty of the string-thong look. The secret to wearing the thong bikini is to wear it high over the hips to produce a shapely outline and emphasize your curves. BumBum has wonderful patterns, prints and plain-color options available.

Shopping Forum Ipanema, SL 215, R. Visc. de Pirajá, 351 – Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, +55 (21) 2227-4080

http://instagram.com/p/BOA7Aurj5OI/?taken-by=bumbumipanema

Areia Carioca

Areia Carioca stocks fashionable, high-quality bikinis at reasonable prices with beautiful patterns that are inspired by the nature and vibe of Rio de Janeiro. Colors are bright and vibrant without being garish and the patterns are flattering for all skin tones and shapes. The high-waisted style is a popular trend at the moment as are the high-necked styles, both of which this brand has been quick to get in stock.

Santa Clara – Rua Santa Clara, 33 – Lojas 223 – Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, +55 (21) 2255-7040

Blue Man

Upscale Blue Man is one of Rio’s most popular brands for its appealing styles, fashionable cuts and high quality. Although swimwear here is a bit on the pricey side, there is something for everyone from concealing yet flattering one-pieces to more dare-to-bare bikinis. The vintage high-waisted look hasn’t gone unnoticed by Blue Man either, with plenty of cute and trendy pieces in stock. http://instagram.com/p/BNsfeuWDKLH/?taken-by=bluemanbrasil

Mercado Popular Uruguaiana

Store

This huge street market right outside the metro stop Uruguaiana is the go-to place for all your shopping needs. There are plenty of makeshift stores that sell cheap and cheerful bikinis that come in all the colors of the rainbow and several pattern options. The styles are basic, yet this is the key appeal – head here when you want a classic bikini, especially if you have a set block color in mind. The bottoms are most definitely revealing, so if you are on a budget and want to go Brazilian style, this market is the place for you.

Galeria River

In Arpoador, there is a mini shopping gallery with just a few shops that specialize in all things beach, skate and surf related, including bikinis. The bikinis here are typically Brazilian style, yet the thong bottoms are a bit bigger than the string style and arguably more fashionable. The patterns and colors of the bikinis reflect a laid-back, hippie, surfer style and are preferred by the young, trendy crowd.

R. Francisco Otaviano, 67 – Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, +55 (21) 2267-1709

Salinas

Salinas is another immensely popular bikini brand, known for its flattering cuts and emphasis on current fashion trends. The patterns are nature-inspired with wonderful color combinations. The bikinis are expensive yet the high quality makes them an investment. They stock varying styles of bikini bottoms from the string-thin thongs to slightly bigger, curvy designs, as well as high-waisted options.

Rio Design Leblon – Av. Ataulfo de Paiva, 270 – 130 – Leblon, Rio de Janeir, Brazil, +55 (21) 2512-9734

http://instagram.com/p/BN_ye8wAoTg/?taken-by=salinasrio

The Beach

The beach isn’t a brand, it is literally the place. Buying bikinis on the beach is one of the easiest, most popular and cost-effective ways of stocking up on a new bikini. The bottoms are typically thong style yet range from the thinnest to the widest thongs available. The bikini tops come in all different styles and in various colors and patterns. Look out for the beach vendors that wander up and down the sand with large umbrellas and bikinis hanging off the sides. Prices are budget-friendly and the best beaches to find a bikini are Copacabana and Ipanema.

About the author

Sarah Brown

Sarah is a British freelance journalist and writer based in Rio de Janeiro. Her favourite travel experiences so far include swimming with whale sharks in Mexico, trekking through Rio's urban forest and enjoying the city life in Madrid. Find her on Instagram @sbgrio