GILI'S SWIMWEAR

What GILI'S SWIMWEAR does

GILI'S SWIMWEAR is a French direct-to-consumer swimwear and beach-lifestyle brand operated by Caravelle SAS, headquartered in Paris's Le Marais district. The company designs and sells men's, women's, and children's swimwear — built around signature products such as the Trawangan elastic-waist shorts (100% recycled polyester), Trawangan Light water-repellent shorts, Air buttoned-waistband shorts, Komodo short-cut shorts, Sulawesi swim trunks, and women's one- and two-piece swimsuits — alongside complementary ready-to-wear, homewear, and accessories. The product line extends into coordinated family packs and a custom embroidery personalization service (€10 per item) that is fulfilled in-house at the Marais flagship. Technical differentiators include SEAQUAL-certified recycled polyester sourced partly from ocean plastic waste, OEKO Tex-certified organic cotton for t-shirts, water-repellent fabric finishes, and quick-drying constructions; the company holds B Corp certification and sources 100% of fabrics from European mills in Italy and Spain.

The business model is multi-channel DTC. Primary revenue comes from one-time unit-priced sales through the owned e-commerce platform (gilis.com) and four physical boutiques (Marais flagship, Rive Gauche, La Baule seasonal, and Aix-en-Provence, opened April 2025). International shipping covers France and the EU plus Switzerland and the UK. The company operates a €200 free-shipping threshold, a 10% newsletter-acquisition discount, a refer-a-friend program, and a Scalapay-powered 3x interest-free installment option for €100–€1500 orders. Customer acquisition leans on content marketing via a 128-article 'Logbook' travel and style blog, organic social (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest), and earned media in premium French lifestyle press. The RE-USE recycling program (15% discount incentive) creates a modest retention loop. The company is privately held by founders Clarisse and Aymeric with no disclosed institutional backing, runs lean at approximately 16 employees, and outsources logistics to EFILOG in Le Lude.

Name

GILI'S SWIMWEAR

Legal name

Caravelle SAS

Website

https://gilis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GILI'S SWIMWEAR is a privately held French DTC brand designing eco-friendly recycled-polyester swimwear, ready-to-wear, and beach lifestyle products for men, women, children, and families, sold via gilis.com and four French boutiques.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eco-designed Swimwear and Beach Lifestyle Apparel

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)

akta.pro primary industry

Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands (CRAAAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Swimwear (Children) (CRAAAHAG)

Keywords

• Eco-friendly swimwear
• Recycled polyester shorts
• Family beachwear sets
• Men's swim shorts
• Beach lifestyle apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Primary revenue from direct-to-consumer sales of swimwear, ready-to-wear, homewear, and accessories through e-commerce website and retail stores. One-time purchase model with family-oriented bundle offerings (family packs, dad&kids packs, mom&kids packs).
2. Custom Embroidery Upsell: Additional revenue stream from embroidery personalization service charged at €10 per embroidered product. Adds margin to base swimwear products.
3. Payment Financing (3x): Partnered with Scalapay to offer interest-free 3x payment option for orders €100-€1500, enabling higher basket values from payment-constrained customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GILI'S designs, sources, and sells eco-friendly swimwear and complementary beach lifestyle apparel directly to consumers. The brand's core range includes men's swim shorts (Trawangan, Air, Komodo, Sulawesi, Trawangan Light), women's one-piece and two-piece swimsuits, and children's swimwear, alongside ready-to-wear clothing, homewear, family matching packs, and lifestyle accessories. The flagship Trawangan elastic-waist swim short is made from 100% recycled polyester, with solid-color versions certified by SEAQUAL for use of ocean-recovered plastic.

Product overview

GILI'S is a French swimwear and beach lifestyle brand offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered on eco-designed swimwear for men, women, and children. The core offering comprises swimwear products including the iconic Trawangan elastic waist shorts (available in regular and long lengths), Trawangan Light water-repellent shorts, Air buttoned waistband shorts, Komodo short-cut shorts, and Sulawesi swim trunks for men; one-piece and two-piece swimsuits for women; and one-piece, two-piece, and swim brief options for children. The Trawangan line serves as the flagship collection, supplemented by rash guards for UV protection. Beyond swimwear, GILI'S offers men's and women's ready-to-wear clothing (shirts, tops, dresses, shorts, pants) and homewear collections (pajamas, bathrobes, slippers). Family-focused offerings include coordinated Family Packs enabling matchy-matchy styling across family members. Custom embroidery services (€10) allow personalization on select men's and boys' swim shorts with custom text up to 11 characters. Accessories range from beach essentials (towels, pareos, bags, caps, bottles) to home items (cushion covers, candles) plus collaborations like GILI'S x Briston watches. The brand differentiates through sustainability initiatives including RE-USE Program for recycling old swimwear and use of recycled materials (100% recycled polyester, SEAQUAL certified ocean plastic).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trawangan Elastic Waist Swim Shorts GILI'S signature men's swim shorts in elastic waist, available in regular and long lengths. Made from 100% recycled polyester with travel-inspired prints.
• Trawangan Light Water-Repellent Swim Shorts Technical men's swim shorts featuring water-repellent finish so water slides off without soaking, plus ultra-fast drying fabric for sustained comfort.
• Air Buttoned Belt Swim Shorts Elegant flat buttoned waistband men's swim shorts offering a more sophisticated silhouette while retaining comfort.
• Komodo Short Cut Swim Shorts Short-cut men's swim shorts for a more compact style, available for personalization with custom embroidery.
• Sulawesi Swim Trunks Classic men's swim trunks/brief style for those seeking a traditional swimwear option.
• Women's One-Piece Swimsuits One-piece swimsuit collection for women in various prints and solid colors, sized S to XL.
• Women's Two-Piece Swimsuits Bikini and two-piece swimsuit collection for women in various styles and patterns.
• Rash Guards (UV-Protective Lycra) UV-protective lycra rash guards for men, boys, and girls, designed for sun protection in and out of the water.
• Men's Ready-to-Wear Clothing Men's clothing collection including shirts, polo shirts, t-shirts, sweaters, shorts, and pants.
• Women's Ready-to-Wear Clothing Women's clothing collection including dresses, tops, and shorts for vacation and leisure wear.
• Men's Homewear Men's homewear collection including pajamas, bathrobes, and slippers for loungewear.
• Women's Homewear Women's homewear collection including pajamas, bathrobes, and slippers.
• Kids' Swimwear and Clothing Children's swimwear and clothing for ages 12 months to 14 years, including girls' one-piece and two-piece swimsuits, swimming panties, rashguards, boys' swim shorts and briefs, polos, shorts, and kids' homewear.
• Family Packs (Matching Sets) Coordinated family swimwear and pajamas bundles (Dad & Kids, Mom & Kids, and general family packs) enabling coordinated matchy-matchy styling.
• Beach and Lifestyle Accessories Beach and lifestyle accessories including towels, pareos, bags, caps, stainless steel bottles, hair scrunchies, wooden beach games, card games, cushion covers, and scented candles.
• GILI'S x Briston Watches Co-branded watch collection with Briston combining GILI'S beach lifestyle aesthetic with Briston's watchmaking expertise.
• Digital Gift Card Digital gift cards available for purchase, allowing recipients to select their own GILI'S products.
• Custom Embroidery Personalization Service Standalone personalization service allowing customers to add custom text (up to 11 characters, 6 thread colors) to select men's and boys' swim shorts. Priced at €10 per embroidered product, fulfilled in-store at Paris Marais or online.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free shipping threshold of €200 increases average order value
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• égoi émoiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with émoi émoi, a digital brand dedicated to families, featuring co-branded content and product features highlighting family-oriented lifestyle positioning.
• JaminiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGILI'S x Jamini collaboration featuring Indian-inspired colors, part of capsule collection showcasing diverse print influences.
• BristonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGILI'S x Briston watches collaboration offering co-branded timepieces as lifestyle accessories complementing swimwear products.
• MiasunminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Miasun, a beach-focused lifestyle brand founded by Valériane and Hortense, featuring cross-promotional content.
• ANGARDEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with French footwear brand ANGARDE for complementary beach lifestyle accessories, featuring slippers and beach footwear.
• Christophe MichalakminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLimited collaboration with renowned pastry chef Christophe Michalak for GILI'S 5th anniversary, featuring special edition content and potential co-created products.
• EFILOG LOGISTIQUEminorOthersThird-party logistics partner handling warehousing, order fulfillment, and returns processing from facility in Le Lude, France.
• SEAQUAL InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partnership ensuring solid-color swim trunks use recycled polyester partly sourced from ocean plastic waste recovered through SEAQUAL cleanup initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sundek: Sundek is an iconic Italian-American swim shorts and surf-inspired apparel brand with strong heritage in men's swim trunks. Directly comparable to GILI'S men's swim shorts heritage (Trawangan, Air, Komodo lines) and travel/beach lifestyle positioning, though with broader US distribution.
• Vilebrequin: Vilebrequin is a French-founded luxury swimwear brand offering men's, women's, and children's swim shorts and beachwear. Like GILI'S, it is a French swimwear brand with travel-inspired collections, family offerings, and global DTC plus boutique retail — making it the most direct comparable in positioning, though positioned at a higher price point.
• Eres: Eres is a French luxury lingerie and swimwear brand owned by Chanel, offering women's one-piece and two-piece swimsuits with strong Parisian heritage. Compares to GILI'S via French swimwear heritage, women's swimwear focus, and DTC plus own-boutique retail model, though positioned at a significantly higher price tier.
• MC2 Saint Barth: MC2 Saint Barth is a premium Italian-made swimwear and beachwear brand offering men's and women's swim shorts and resort wear with travel-inspired designs. Directly comparable to GILI'S in mid-premium beachwear positioning, family beach lifestyle, and DTC-led distribution.

Regional players

• Seafolly: Seafolly is Australia's leading swimwear brand offering women's, men's, and kids' swimwear with strong DTC and department store distribution across Australia, Europe, and the US. Comparable to GILI'S via multi-segment swimwear portfolio and DTC plus retail model, though Seafolly serves primarily Australia/Asia while GILI'S is focused on France/EU.

Emerging players

• Faguo: Faguo is a French sustainable apparel and footwear brand focused on eco-friendly materials and B Corp-style positioning. Comparable to GILI'S via French sustainability-led DTC brand positioning, recycled materials, and B Corp credentials, though Faguo's core is footwear and casual apparel rather than swimwear.
• Maison Kitsuné: Maison Kitsuné is a French-Japanese lifestyle brand offering apparel, accessories, and café retail with strong Paris retail presence. Comparable to GILI'S via French lifestyle brand DNA, own-boutique retail footprint in premium Paris locations, and travel-inspired aesthetic — though Kitsuné operates across broader lifestyle categories.
• Picture Organic Clothing: Picture Organic Clothing is a French sustainable outdoor apparel brand using recycled and bio-sourced materials with strong DTC positioning. Comparable to GILI'S on French eco-led brand positioning and recycled-material product strategy, though Picture focuses on outdoor/surf apparel more broadly.
• Tom & Copacabana: Tom & Copacabana is a French sustainable swimwear brand offering women's one-piece and two-piece swimsuits with eco-friendly materials. Directly comparable to GILI'S as a French eco-positioned DTC swimwear competitor with similar price tier, though focused exclusively on women's swimwear rather than family ranges.

Broad incumbents

• Rip Curl: Rip Curl is a global surf brand offering men's and women's swimwear, wetsuits, and beachwear through extensive wholesale and DTC channels. Comparable to GILI'S as a surf-inspired swimwear competitor with broader category and global distribution, though Rip Curl is a much larger incumbent focused on performance surfing rather than lifestyle.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gilisswimwear
• Instagraminstagram.com/gilisswimwear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gili's-swimwear

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GILI'S SWIMWEAR