Karla Colletto started in 1981, when Karla and her older sister Lisa Rovan built a first line of apparel that ran from bridal to sportswear. Before that, Karla had worked for the designer Alfred Fiandaca and learned couture dressmaking, and when the sisters spotted a gap in the market for high-fashion swimwear, she brought those techniques to the pool. She calls it aqua couture, and the one-piece swimsuits are where it is easiest to see. The Tess floral-appliqué swimsuit also comes in a one-shoulder version, the Juliet and Rosetta floral-appliqué styles add gathering, and the Maya embellished and ruched swimsuits bring more detail. The Basics ruched swimsuit, the Smart swimsuit and the Lola gathered halterneck are the simpler cuts. Hipster bikini bottoms and a bandeau with polka dots and floral appliqué sit alongside them, and the Harmony and Tess cover-ups give the look a second life off the sand. A quick test for appliqué: run a hand over the flowers before you buy, since the detail should lie flat against the body and not catch on a strap. For a packing plan around pieces like these, my designer vacation wardrobe has more ideas.

The second group shows how far one silhouette can be pushed. The Sadie swimsuit appears ruched, appliquéd and plain, the Helena comes ruffled and in ruched lamé, and the Lia scalloped bandeau swimsuit has the dressmaker edge Karla talks about. There is playfulness too: the bow-detail gingham swimsuit, the gingham ruched swimsuit and the polka-dot swimsuits. The Faye one-shoulder, the Rosetta halterneck, the Draped swimsuit, the Chain swimsuit and the Circle swimsuit are all about the neckline. Karla Colletto's pieces are made in-house in the US, with headquarters in Vienna, Virginia, and the brand has leaned on high-performance Italian textiles and Xtra Life Lycra for chlorine resistance, which suits the pool. A fit test: sit and lean forward in a bandeau, since a good one stays put without being pulled up. What I would skip is a bow-detail or gingham style as your only suit for a trip full of deck chairs, because the print draws the eye more than the plain ones. For a full trip, see the vacation wardrobe.

The last four pieces step out of the one-piece territory. The brand evolved into one-piece specialists and launched the bikini line K by Karla Colletto in 2008, so the Tess floral-appliqué bandeau bikini top and the floral-appliqué polka-dot bikini top are the nod to that part of the story. The Ruffled jersey miniskirt and the Basics wide-leg pants are the cover-up layers. In our fashion dreams she is walking from the pool to lunch in the wide-leg pants over a one-piece, with nothing else added, a gold watch the only accessory. The two bikini tops are the ones to wear under an open shirt on a boat day, and the bottoms in the first group pair with them. For more on tops, see my bikini sets and halter tops, and for the mini, the mini skirt styling rules.

I would pick one appliqué one-piece, add the Basics wide-leg pants and keep the accessories to a pair of sunglasses. If you like a wider leg, my satin pants edit has similar ease. The point of a Karla Colletto swimsuit is the dressmaking, so I would let that be the main event. Everything else on the trip can be plain linen and flat sandals.

For more in the same spirit, take a look at Melissa Odabash Swimwear and Johanna Ortiz Dresses and Swimwear.