LacMerCiel was born in a rush of cold water in the wintry depths of the pandemic during late 2020.  

 

Claudia and Susannah had become friends over a love of surfing in the South West France.  When the chances of riding the waves receded, with fresh lockdown restrictions looming, they began dipping in the marine lake in Clevedon near their Bristol homes.

 

As the temperatures plummeted their spirit rose and they hatched a plan to create the cosy clothes swimmers crave when they emerge dripping from the water, but injected with a big dose of style. 

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LacMerCiel evokes not just their love of France but also of the joy of experiencing lakes, seas and beautiful skies all over the world. It’s a homage to the Lido ladies of the 1920s, and the skins swimmers of the 2020s.

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LacMerCiel - Get into the Blue 

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Our Co-Founders

 

Claudia Fürst

Claudia is former Austrian swimming champion, record holder and ex-national team. She came to Bristol, England to study and has been swimming the seas, rivers and lakes ever since. She regularly takes part in outdoor swimming events like the Bournemouth Pier to Pier event, the Clevedon long swim or St Michael Mount swim.  She also loves surfing, with a favourite spot being Croyde, Devon. She works for a global Bristol based events company, has a graphic design diploma from Central St Martins and an MSc from Bristol University. Claudia showed her designs on the catwalk at London Fashion Week in 2018.
 

Susannah Streeter

 

Susannah can’t match Claudia in a swimming race. Closest she came was coming second in the tiny Chippenham swimming gala aged 10. But it did spark a long term love of Lidos and outdoor swimming. Her love of adventure led to her joining the Royal Air Force as a reserve for a decade, where she travelled all over the world. She took up surfing  having spent years holidaying in South West France. Susannah is a broadcaster and financial expert and is now taking the plunge into entrepreneurial waters.