The Girl and the Water: Five Minutes with Melissa Derreumaux

It's June, that time of year when the days start hotting up and we're all dreaming of our summer holidays.  Time to put away the jumpers and tights and unpack your summer wardrobe.  For me this means gingerly pulling out saggy lycra bikini bottoms, faded and a little sad, scrabbling around trying desperately to find the tops that match the faded, saggy bottoms and wondering why I still have the same old sarong I bought on a beach years ago when I thought tie dye, turtle print was the height of hippy chic.  


If the same swimwear horrors haunt you, I have great news.  Ditch last year's has beens and log on to our newest beachwear obsession, The Girl and The Water.  This gorgeously shoppable site sells super sexy, flattering swimwear, beach cover-ups, boho jewellery, beach bags and towels.  Your one stop shop for getting beach perfect.  The site stocks unusual labels from around the world from Hawaiian brand Acacia (gorgeous fun, flirty, gypsetter swimwear) to firm 3BM favourite, Josa Tulum (the London Mice have been wearing their gorgeous kaftans non-stop ever since their trip to Mexico in March).

We caught up with the very lovely Melissa Derreumaux, the owner of The Girl and The Water, to chat about bikinis, beach bodies, being a female entrepreneur and a very special The Girl and The Water offer for all 3BM readers...

Tell us a little about the Girl & the Water - what inspired you to start your business? 


Having my own business is a dream come true.  I spend a lot of time in Hawaii - it's the place where I recharge my batteries, and I've always been inspired by the culture and the people who live there. I was on the Big Island of Hawaii once and tried on my first ACACIA bikini and the rest was history! I work with several Hawaiian brands and hope to add more in the future!  The girls who shop on my site love the beach, often surf and are carefree, confident, love to travel and enjoy life! 

The name comes from my love for water sports.  I love to paddleboard and do outrigger canoeing.  Any chance I get, I'm out on the water!  

What are your top tips for female entrepreneurs?


Trust your instincts!  I really feel that women have a sixth sense when it comes to running a business.  It's innate as we are often mothers and also manage an entire household in addition to having a career.  I always listen to my inner voice when making decisions.  It is also helpful to have one person who will tell you the absolute, no bones about it truth, and not what you want to hear.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?


The best advice anyone ever gave me was probably not to go into to debt when starting a business! Also, never make decisions based on fear.

What three things could you not live without? 


My family (I include close friends in that category), my paddleboard, and the possibility to travel!   

Melissa & her family.

Which are your favourite pieces from the site?


I handpick all of the pieces on the site, so I really love them all. To name a few of my favorites, I would say that I love every single ACACIA piece! The fabrics are buttery soft and the cuts are so flattering. Put on one of their suits, and you feel like a million bucks! My favorite tops are the Haena and Mykonos by ACACIA.  I love the Lolli Swim bow bottoms! I have them in just about every color!  The Posh Pua Niu bottom is super cute, and I just received a new suit in a fabulous print called Paris Rose by Mimi Chaos that is stunning and affordable!

What are your beach bag essentials?


Sunscreen! I always use lots of sunscreen even though I don't burn, plus it's so important to take good care of your skin.  I love to read, so a great book, I'm into autobiographies these days. If I can get my hands on one, a copy of the French magazine Gala in the summer is always fun to read at the beach. A bottle of water. Snacks - I have two young children, so munchies are essential. A good Turkish towel - they're the best because they're thin and don't trap the sand in them like terry cloth towels.  And my iPhone to snap photos!

Whose beach body do you most covet?


Elle MacPherson and Halle Berry! I would take either one!

Any exciting travel plans this year?

I'm just coming back from a trip to France! I will also be traveling to Miami and Hawaii this year. For something completely different, I am taking my boys to spend time on a Navajo Reservation this summer. I am part Native American, and I think it will be a great experience for them to learn a bit about the culture. Lastly, I go to Southern California a few times a year for work or visiting good friends and family. Where else besides the tropics can you spend X-mas in shorts and flip flops?! 

3BM The Girl and The Water Summer Offer
As if you needed any further excuse to get shopping, we have a fab 3BM The Girl and the Water offer for our blog buds - 25% off all Josa Tulum cover-ups until 31st July!  Just click over to The Girl and The Water, fill your basket with Josa Tulum gorgeousness (plus a couple of bikinis and a turkish towel or two while you're there...) and type the code JOSA25 at the checkout to get your Josa discount.  


Happy Shopping!