Designer Lisa Vogel with models

On Saturday evening, Haute Living attended an exclusive Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim event at South Beach’s Raleigh Hotel penthouse, which showcased the sexy/sophisticated swimwear collection LUXE by Lisa Vogel.

Lisa Vogel grew up in Newport Beach, Calif., surrounded by beautiful homes and beautiful beaches (with beautiful people wearing beautiful swimsuits…). Her family also owned the swimwear industry’s top-selling swimwear manufacturing company, RAJ Manufacturing. With a knack for swimwear and a business degree from USC, Vogel eventually went on to become RAJ Manufacturing’s co-president.

With access to dozens of swim collections from designers like GUESS, Ella Moss, Tommy Hilfiger, and St. John, it would seem that Vogel would have a closet full of the world’s greatest swimsuits. Yet Vogel realized that there was not one brand that completely satisfied what she personally wanted out of a swimwear line. The trendy mother-of-two found that many suits were made “too young” (thus pretty revealing) or “too old” (thus too much coverage). She wanted fashionable, yet flattering; to be sexy without being skimpy. She also recognized that there were many other women out there who were just like her!  And so, the idea for LUXE was born.

At Saturday’s event, we were lucky enough to get a preview of this season’s collection (the line’s third overall). Vibrant shades of blue radiated from a mix of sexy, yet tasteful, solid and patterned bikinis, one-pieces, and cover-ups. With its high-end fabrics, flawless shapes, and intricate details, it’s no wonder that LUXE is becoming a luxury swim staple around the world.

Vogel herself was charismatic and genuine, and when she spoke about her line, her eyes lit up and the smile never wore from her face. We could tell she is truly passionate about the work she is doing, and it is equally evident that this passion is transcended into her designs.

And her passion isn’t only for swimwear. For this collection, she teamed up with Oceana, the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the world’s oceans, beaches, and marine life. Vogel reflects, “I’ve been involved with Oceana for a few years and have become very passionate about its cause…I want my children to enjoy the ocean and aquatic life as much as I did growing up.”

Vogel currently resides in Laguna Beach, where she noted most people are not like what was portrayed on the MTV reality show. Instead she reveals that the town has an eclectic vibe, where modest millionaires and bohemian artists live side-by-side, yet you can’t seem to tell one from the other. It is this sort of humble elegance that makes LUXE so intriguing, cool, and to us, very haute!