As New Yorkers, our access to fabulous beaches is limited and, as a result, so is the number of bikinis in our closets. The lifestyle of the perennially tanned, international beach-goer is one that is entirely foreign to me, but a lucky few were practically born into it. One of those people is swimwear designer Neila Granzoti Rudden, who was born and raised in Sao Paulo, where swimsuits are more or less a uniform.

While it may shock no one that a Brazilian-raised beach bum became a swimwear designer, Neila’s cultural background and experiences are more diverse than that–and that wide range of influences shows in her designs. Her parents are Brazilian and Italian and she’s also lived in London, where she earned a degree in graphic design, and Milan, until she eventually came to New York to launch her collection.

Now, her super-sexy bikinis are all over the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and she just finished shooting diNeila’s next campaign in St. Bart’s with the line’s newest face–Sports Ilustrated model (and John Legend’s girlfriend) Christine fTeigan.

We recently spoke with Neila to gain a glimpse into her fabulous life.

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