Bikinis or bust at L.A. Fashion Week

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The designers at L.A. Fashion Week love to show a lot of skin in their collections. And since it’s the spring/summer season, you bet they’re gonna bring it.

Two shows of bikini collections have already happened in these first couple days. Monday it was Beach Bunny swimwear -- which is exactly as it sounds, but worse. And today, D’Amore by Marceau, a swimwear line designed by model, DJ and pizza parlor heiress Caroline D’Amore. The leggy L.A. cat walker wasn’t at the show though. She is stuck on an East Coast set where she’s filming a movie with her pal Rumer Willis. That adds actress and swimsuit designer and two more slashes to her growing list of career titles.

The Beach Bunny Swimwear show had a front row of Playboy playmates, two of whom are Hugh Hefner’s new girlfriends. They’re twins. I was placed next to them until being asked to move because apparently I was in Drew Carey’s seat, which officially made me understand what those people on “The Surreal Life” must feel like. Carey never showed.

The swimwear looked like lingerie trying to be swimwear, made for ladies who like to look like they are always in their underwear.

Lots of lacey trim on super skimpy bottoms and barely there triangle tops. I am not convinced that the suits are even waterproof -- though there were certainly a lot of flotation devices.

Today at D’Amore by Marceau, the suits were actually really cute. A lot of creative one-piece styles with side ruching and bold ‘80s patterns. The best group was the snake print metallic suits that looked well-made and figure flattering.

In a battle of Beach Bunny versus D’Amore, I’d have to say D’Amore takes the prize for cute swimsuits. The bunny bunch can keep their bikinis for lounging around the grotto.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Top photo: Beach Bunny Swimwear. Photo credit: Jay Clendenin / Los Angeles Times. Bottom: D’Amore by Marceau. Photo credit: Chris Pizzello / AP