High Fashion Streetwear
Agua Bendita
Agua Bendita was founded in 2003 in Medellín by Catalina Álvarez and Mariana Hinestroza as a Colegiatura Colombiana fashion-school project, sewing bikinis from a local factory's fabric off-cuts on Mariana's grandmother's machines. After Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition featured the pieces in 2006, the brand became one of the first Colombian labels to export local fashion; today its hand-embroidered, painterly swimwear and resort collections are sold in more than 50 countries, with Agua by Agua Bendita extending the universe into ready-to-wear and a Cartagena flagship.
Where to Buy 1
Retailer list compiled from public information; actual availability may vary.
Timeline5
2003—2023·20 yrs
- 2003
Founded in Medellín
Catalina Álvarez and Mariana Hinestroza launch Agua Bendita as a swimwear label crafted by Colombian women artisans.
- 2010
Colombiamoda runway debut
The brand stages its first major Colombiamoda runway, establishing it as Colombia's leading swimwear export.
- 2017
Expansion into ready-to-wear
Agua Bendita launches a ready-to-wear collection, broadening beyond swim into resortwear and dresses.
- 2021
Net-A-Porter partnership
The brand becomes a hero label on Net-A-Porter, cementing its status in the global luxury resort segment.
- 2023
20-year anniversary collection
Agua Bendita marks two decades with an archival reissue, employing more than 1,500 artisans across Colombia.
