HIstory

2023

MARYAN MEHLHORN voted best swimwear brand in Italy 2023 by the editors of Intima Media Group (Milan) – for the third time in a row.

SOME STATEMENTS YOU WEAR FOREVER - MARYAN MEHLHORN launches THE WHITE COLLECTION, an encounter with timeless favorites. Purist beachwear and tailored swimwear that is cultivating the culture of hand-crafted embroidery and valuing the unique quality of natural materials.

CHARMLINE launches swim fabric innovation TECHNOIR, developed exclusively by the brand and made of 60 percent BLACK LYCRA® XTRA LIFE. The fabric is absolutely opaque even at maximum stretch, so that percentage of elastane threads in black surfaces are invisible.

2022

MARYAN MEHLHORN revoted best swimwear brand in Italy 2022 by the editors of Intima Media Group (Milan).

CHARMLINE launches INCLUSIVE FIT. New swimwear styles made for the strong self, presenting built-in, invisible pockets for the variable fitting of prostheses, push-up pads or supportive foam cups as key feature. The easily accessible prosthesis pockets are invisible for non-prosthesis wearers.

MARYAN MEHLHORN introduces the bio-based capsule BIONICS. The sustainable swim styles replace polyamide with a yarn made from the plant-based raw material castor oil, which comes from a 100% renewable source.

2021

30 September 2021: 75th anniversary of the maryan beachwear group.

Sustainability continues to accelerate: "Because we care" - Cooperation between MARYAN MEHLHORN and the Italian premium fabric manufacturer Eurojersey (SENSITIVE FABRICS) to reduce the ecological footprint. 

MARYAN MEHLHORN develops a Capsule Collection exclusively for the Breuninger department store to celebrate its 140th anniversary.

MARYAN MEHLHORN voted best swimwear brand in Italy by the editors of Intima Media Group (Milan).

2020

maryan beachwear group switches entire production to eco-yarn.

With LIDEA ECO SHAPE, 100% sustainable swimwear was developed as a market innovation. 

LIDEA launches the Capsule Collection ACTIVE SHAPE: perfect fit exclusively through fabrics and tailoring.

MARYAN MEHLHORN evelops the design group SOFTLINE to become an independent Capsule Collection.

WATERCULT opens the first temporary shop-in-shop in cooperation with Breuninger.

April/May 2020, first wave of the Corona pandemic: on behalf of the state of Baden-Württemberg, the company participates in the production of FFP2 masks at the headquarters in Murg.

2019

LIDEA brand relaunch with the new claim "Just Fits".

The company's own retail company Body & Beach opens its 15th shop.

2018

Maya Mehlhorn takes over as CEO of the maryan beachwear group. Together with two other managing directors, she leads the group of companies, which is 100 percent family owned, in the third generation.

The group’s online business is internationalised. The German online shop of WATERCULT is the first brand to be expanded by an international shop. The „Sterne der Wäsche“ awards of the trade magazine „SOUS“ are presented in Munich where MARYAN MEHLHORN receives a price in the category „Manufacturer Awards“.

WATERCULT undergoes a relaunch. With the Spring/ Summer 2019 season, WATERCULT presents itself with a new visual design, a new logo as well as a further developed brand statement and is taking account of the changed brand core with a new image. „Summer State of Mind“ is the new claim that stands for a relaxed, fun-loving, travel-affine lifestyle, grounded in the here and now.

The conversion of the Design- and Development Center in Murg is completed. The Design, Development, CAD and Purchasing Departments have found a new place to call home in an award-winning architectural design.

2017

The new logistics center is opened in Laufenburg. With an area doubling up to 9000 square meters, the company takes account of the growing number of units. The building is also home of the „House of Swimwear Brands“ showroom and an outlet center.

maryan beachwear group receives the award „Europe‘s best selling swim supplier 2017“ at the fair „Mode City“ in Paris.
The Group’s online business will be further expanded. The german online show of the brand MARYAN MEHLHORN is launched.

2016

Company anniversary: On September 30th, maryan beachwear group celebrates its 70th anniversary, on the same date as the bikini itself.

MARYAN MEHLHORN develops luxurious, hand embroidered silk caftans with a retail price at approximately 2500 pounds sterling for the well-known luxury department store „HARRODS“ in London. This successful „Capsule-Collection“ for the „Harrods Exclusives“ will be expanded further. At the trade fair „Mare d‘ Amare“ in Florence the brand MARYAN MEHLHORN receives two awards for „Best POS marketing material“ and „Best material innovation“ from independent Italian retailers.

Maryan Mehlhorn

2015

WATERCULT online shop:
launch of the first brand online shop of the maryan beachwear group in April 2015. The „British Lingerie Insight“ awards the brand MARYAN MEHLHORN with the „Swimwear Brand of the year 2015“ Award.

Collage Watercult Relaunch

2014/2015

The brand MARYAN MEHLHORN is voted „best-selling international swimwear collection“ for two consecutive years. The representative survey was conducted by the trade journals „Linea Intima“ (Italy), „Intima“ (France), „SOUS“ (Germany), „Underlines“ (UK), „Swimwear Yearbook“ (UK) as well as „Best of Intima“ (US).

2014

Luxury beachwear at the highest level:
The MARYAN MEHLHORN glamour bikini embellished with 27 colorful gemstones, certified 120 carats and set in white gold is costs 65.000 Euro. This unique masterpiece was designed by the designer duo Maryan and Maya Mehlhorn.

Cooperation with the champagne brand „Pommery“. Due to the collection presentation of the season 2015, the glass was raised with exclusive Pommery POP-bottles in MARYAN MEHLHORN design at the „Mode City“ Paris.

2013

Charmline’s star appeal:
The popular german actress Christine Neubauer is the Charmline testimonial for the summer of 2013. The campaign is introduced at a press lunch in Munich with numerous representatives of TV and print Media.

Christine Neubauer und Maya Mehlhorn
Cooperation with the beauty label „Babor“ for an exclusive MARYAN MEHLHORN cosmetics line.
Self Tanning

2012

Daughter Maya Mehlhorn becomes managing partner. German „SOUS“ Award „Sterne der Wäsche“ for Charmline in the category „Best Shaping Swimwear Collection S/S 2012“.

First time ever – an TV advert for WATERCULT is shown on german television. Premiere for MARYAN MEHLHORN on the Asian market – participating at the Shanghai „Mode Lingerie“.

Luxurybikini

2011

Launch of separate online presences for each of the brands.
UK Lingerie Award in London:
MARYAN MEHLHORN collection „Swimwear Brand of the Year 2011“ by the british business magazine „Lingerie Insight“.

2010

German „SOUS“ Award „Sterne der Wäsche“ (best shops award) for the brand MARYAN MEHLHORN in the category of „Best swimwear collection S/S 2010“. French award „Créateur de l’Année“ for designer Maryan Mehlhorn on the occasion of the Paris „Mode City“.

2009

Even more exclusive imagery and a new logo for the brand MARYAN MEHLHORN:
The two letters MM are the intials of both Maryan Mehlhorn and her daugther, Maya Mehlhorn – a good omen for the future!

2007

Maya Mehlhorn, the granddaughter of the company founder, repositions the WATERCULT brand with a new Mix and Match and NOS concept.

2002

The product portfolio widens and is complimented by „MARYAN MEHLHORN jewels“ – silver and gold jewelry with genuine pacific pearls and diamonds. With its patented clip, the jewels can be worn on a swimsuit or as a necklace.
Maryan Beachwear Retail GmbH is founded with the goal of optimizing floor management.

1999

The brand MARYAN turns into MARYAN MEHLHORN.

The company receives three out of five possible european „MERYL“ Awards: One awards goes to Charmline for the development of a slimming fabric, one to MARYAN MEHLHORN for its fashion statement and one to WATERCULT for the combination of sports and fashion.

1997–2001

Until 2001: „Aqua Art“ – a special edition of silk pareos matching a line of avantgarde, solid coloured swimwear fashions, inspired by art works by Stefan Szesny and Otmar Alt and others.
Aqua Art Cover

1996

WATERCULT is launched as fourth brand, originally designed for sports retailers.

1995

Charmline Bodycontrol is launched:
Using a strong, yet soft shaping material, this swimwear line magically disguises extra pounds. The fabric brand „Microforming“ which is exclusively developed for the brand turns Maryan Mehlhorn into a pioneer in shapewear in the field of swimwear.

1991

Launch oft he commercial and athletic swimwear brand Lidea with later focusing on cup support as well as a cup range from A to H.

1983

Launch of the Fortex-Charmant Resana Line – a special collection for wearers of breast prosthetics.

1982

The second brand „MARYAN“ is established. The cration of further labels signified the company’s growing success in the mid 1980s.

1977

The Company focuses completely on swimwear fashion.

1976

Daughter Maryan Mehlhorn and her husband Thomas Mehlhorn take over the parental company.

1960er

Due to the crisis in the corselet garment industry, the company transforms into swimwear and beachwear specialists. They are considered to be among the pioneers who made swimwear accepatble for lingerie retailers.

1958

Enthusiasm for the „Charmant“ corsage with a steel spring wire at the Brussel World’s Fair. It is a must-have for the strapless evening gowns that were popular at the time.

1949

A patent applicaton is submitted for the strapless „Charmant Corselet“.

1948

The strapless „Charmant Corselet“ is included in the list of necessary supplies during the Berlin blockade.

30.09.1946

Company founded by Pia und Paul Döbele, parents respectively grand-parents of the current managing partners Maryan and Maya Mehlhorn.

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