After making a splash at the 2025 Gurus Beauty Awards, Priscilla Martinez proves that SHE is the moment. In a world saturated with fast fashion and cookie-cutter swimwear, the designer has emerged as a fierce, vibrant force who blends craftsmanship, wanderlust, and an unapologetic individuality into a brand that turns heads and tells stories.
Her label, Atelier Martinez, is more than a swimwear line; it’s a love letter to all women, to exotic escapes, and to the powerful bond between mother and daughter. But before the models strutted in her hand-beaded creations at Miami Swim Week and she made a stop in LA to don her latest looks, Priscilla was just a girl with a sketchbook, a passion for design, and a dream years in the making.
“When I was about nine years old, my mom asked me and my sister to design a wedding dress,” Priscilla recalls. “From that moment, we were obsessed. We were going to open a clothing store that blended our styles. Mine was very hip-hop, and hers was more rock.”
That playful start morphed into a lifelong obsession with design. Priscilla went on to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and got her degree in fashion merchandising. But her dream was temporarily dimmed by practicality. “I started seeing it more like a hobby,” she admits. “It didn’t feel like something I could turn into a career.” That is, until one infamous pool party in Las Vegas in 2013.
Imagine spending $400 on a swimsuit thinking it will make you the star of the show, only to walk into a Vegas pool party and see 30 other women in the same exact piece. “We looked like we were cheerleaders for the Dallas Cowboys,” she laughs. “It was embarrassing, honestly.”
A model walks the runway for Atelier Martinez at the 2025 Miami Swim Week
That moment ignited something in Priscilla. “I just didn’t want to look like everybody else, so I started designing again, but this time it was for me,” she said. Her first piece was a one-shoulder coral lace bikini with gold chains. It was sexy, edgy, and completely original. When she wore it to her next Vegas pool party, it was a hit. Strangers stopped her, asking, “Where did you get that suit?” She realized then that she wasn’t the only one craving uniqueness.
Priscilla’s approach is deeply rooted in travel, emotion, and experience. It’s not just about the runway, it’s about real life. Her collections are inspired by sunsets in Vegas, girls’ trips to St. Tropez, intimate getaways with her mom in Tulum and St. Barts, as well as Bollywood movies. She sketches constantly, always keeping a pen and paper close in case inspiration strikes.
Each line she creates is tied to a destination, often channeling the soul of a place through color, fabric, and embellishment.
• Santorini Collection: Evokes Grecian rooftops with whites and that unmistakable Mediterranean blue.
• Birds of Paradise: Draws on tropical florals for vibrant energy.
• Onyx Collection: Inspired by a black macramé dress in Tulum, with subtle beading and rich texture.
• Sunset Collection: Based entirely on a photo she took of a Vegas sunset, translating the soft gradients of orange, pink, and lavender into wearable art.
• Guajira Collection (upcoming): Inspired by the Wayuu people of Colombia, with intricate embroidery and earthy pops of terracotta, turquoise, and cream.
Miami Swim Week show was a resounding success for Priscilla. The designs were so powerful and commanding. “The models told me they felt sexy, confident—they wanted to wear my swimsuits, not just model them,” she says. Even the show director came down from the balcony to see her collection up close. It was proof that she was on the right path.
Atelier Martinez is swimwear with soul. It isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about how a woman feels when she wears the clothes. Priscilla designs with real bodies in mind: curvy, petite, athletic, and everything in between. She herself has felt the sting of trying on something gorgeous only to find it didn’t suit her proportions.
A model walks the runway for Atelier Martinez at the 2025 Miami Swim Week
“I used to get so discouraged,” she says. “People would say I looked vulgar just because I have curves. That stuck with me.” That’s why her upcoming collection will allow customers to choose their coverage level—full, Brazilian, or classic cut—and even place bespoke orders for custom sizes. Inclusivity isn’t a marketing slogan for her; it’s personal.
As Atelier Martinez prepares for its official launch, Priscilla is focusing on each piece’s exclusivity. This is not fast fashion. This is wearable art. “My goal is for women to walk into Nikki Beach, Ibiza, or a resort in Mykonos and feel like the moment,” she says. “You’re not just buying a bikini, you’re buying the feeling of being iconic.”
A model walks the runway for Atelier Martinez at the 2025 Miami Swim Week
