Supermodel, entrepreneur and eternal style muse Elsa Hosk has just unveiled her new swimwear collection with NA-KD, inspired by the beach culture of the south of France in the 1970s. In conversation with Vogue Scandinavia, she shares the story behind the sophisticated designs set to define the season. Plus, a curation of our favourite pieces to shop now
A retro-tinged Mediterranean summer dream, refracted through the lens of Elsa Hosk: In its latest collaboration, Swedish fashion brand NA-KD has teamed up with the supermodel-turned-entrepreneur (and two-time Vogue Scandinavia cover star) to create a new must-have swimwear collection launching May 29th.
“I really wanted to capture the essence of summer: freedom, fun, a little bit of nostalgia,” Elsa Hosk tells Vogue Scandinavia. “Swimwear is such an opportunity to go out of your comfort zone a bit and try something different. It’s one of those moments where you can really go bold with colour, texture, or detail without it being too much,” she says.
Designed with long, sun-soaked days in mind, the collection offers dualities: structured yet soft, bold yet wearable, nostalgic yet modern. A major inspiration, Hosk explains, was the south of France. “Everyone on the beach there is so effortlessly fabulous,” she says, reflecting on memories of her time in the region. “There’s a beach culture that feels very free – like women walking around without tops – it’s sexy and liberating. That sense of freedom is something I really wanted to capture.”
Narrowing in even more on her creative vision, Hosk clarifies that this is the south of the France, but in the 1970s specifically. “It’s bold colour palettes, oversized sunglasses, women in headscarves and gold jewellery, dancing barefoot in the sand,” she muses. “That aesthetic really informed the collection.” Rendered in earthy neutrals, sunbeam yellows, lush greens and flashes of high-shine metallic, the pieces are designed not just for the beach, but for every sun-drenched hour in-between.
With such a clear creative vision, it was only fitting that Hosk and the team sojourned to Arlés to shoot the campaign, Hosk herself taking an active role in styling every look. “We paired the pieces with stacked jewellery, silky scarves, and even heels with the swimwear. It’s playful, stylish, and rooted in a nostalgic glamour that fits the collection perfectly,” she says. Channeling the spirit of a high-fashion editorial, the resulting imagery is a sun-drenched love letter to summer, filtered through Hosk’s distinctly Scandinavian lens.
In true Hosk fashion, the model was involved in every step of the creative process, working closely with the NA-KD design team to ensure the collection felt both deeply personal and globally aspirational. “It was that magical moment where everything clicked. You have this image in your head for so long – colours, silhouettes, mood – and you just hope it translates. And then it did,” Hosk reflects. “We had such an incredible team, everyone poured their heart into it. I looked around [on set in Arlés] and thought, Yes, this is it. It felt authentic. It felt like me.”
There’s something about great swimwear that makes you feel completely in your body, in the best, most empowered way. I wanted these pieces to hold that kind of energy. Free-spirited, sun-kissed, and ready for anything.
Elsa Hosk
How people would feel in the swimwear was also always top of mind for Hosk. “I want them to feel fabulous. Confident, beautiful, a little daring,” she says. “Like they’re on their dream holiday – even if it’s just in their backyard.” More than just style, it’s about sensation. “There’s something about great swimwear that makes you feel completely in your body, in the best, most empowered way,” she adds. “I wanted these pieces to hold that kind of energy. Free-spirited, sun-kissed, and ready for anything.”
To mark the launch, an intimate dinner was held held at AIRA, the two-star Michelin jewel in Stockholm’s Djurgården. Hosted by Elsa herself, the evening brought together a curated circle of friends, editors and It girls to preview the collection over a bespoke menu.
Below, browse our favourite pieces from the collection, and see Hosk and her guests at the intimate launch celebrations.
