Courtesy of Baywatch Hawaii
The new uniform is yellow and has four-way stretch,
like the red swimsuits worn in past seasons, for a
snug fit that accommodates movement.

You, too,
can suit up in
‘Baywatch’
beach garb

Tyr Sport saw business soar thanks
to the series, and another small
company is hoping for the same
response to its Hawaii-themed wear

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

ONE of the most striking montages in television may be the opening of "Baywatch" when female lifeguards run down a Southern California beach in form-fitting red Lycra swimsuits.

And if you say you haven't at least glanced at the slow-motion sequence of Pamela Anderson Lee in full flight, well, maybe you're not being truthful.

Now that "Baywatch" has relocated to Hawaii, those red suits made by Tyr Sport of Huntington Beach, Calif., are being replaced by yellow ones, although the strategic construction and style remain the same. There's also a new "Baywatch Hawaii" lifeguard patch on the left hip of the suit and higher up is the TYR name. (Tyr was the god of war in Norse mythology.)

Swimsuits once made specifically for "Baywatch" are now available to consumers. Tyr products are available at Sports Authority, while Mysterioso suits are available at local surf shops. Women's suits sell for $50 to $60; the men's lifeguard traditional red shorts are $34.

Courtesy of Mysterioso
Rash guards by Mysterioso come in wild patterns
and have SPF 25 protection.

Association with show has catapulted the company into one of the most recognized athletic-wear manufacturers in the world, according to Tyr vice president of marketing David Rosen.

For a 10-year period, Tyr sales grew 20 to 25 percent annually, he said.

"The exposure has been phenomenal for us,"added Chris Wilmoth, Tyr spokesman. "Because of 'Baywatch' our suits have been on the covers of Playboy, Health and Fitness, People, everything."

In Tyr's early years the company sought out product placement in films and television. One day Bonann, himself a lifeguard, called Tyr looking for sports athletic swimwear for his new show.

"We didn't pay much attention to what the story was about; we just needed publicity," Rosen said.

Then when "Baywatch" began using opening montages two years into the show with female lifeguards running down the beach, Tyr product took off, Rosen said.

"The more exotic montages helped," he said. "We were starting to sell product in countries where noone had heard of us before."

And that's what Mysterioso's Stevie G hopes happens with his 2-year-old Malibu company, which makes the most colorful and health-conscious rash guards available today. Mysterioso is the original SPF 25 water and board wear apparel company that provides "validated" sun protection on its 5.5-ounce, multi-stretch poly/Lycra material.

Courtesy of Mysterioso
Stevie G. of Mysterioso is hoping exposure of his
product line on "Baywatch Hawaii" will help his
company take off. Items include tops and shorts
for women in colorful prints with several patterns
to choose from, like butterflies, leopard prints and
tropical flowers.

Mysterioso's rash guards come in some of the wildest patterns you'll see on land or water: wavy water prints, colorful butterflies, leopard, tropical flowers. That's what caught the eye of producer Bonann, who called G earlier this year to say he wanted rash guards and shorts, as well as new designs and colors, for "Baywatch."

Overnight, G found a yellow Lycra material and a batch of red hibiscus designs that he would combine. The "Baywatch Hawaii" men and women lifeguards are wearing lots of Mysterioso product: women in short- and long-sleeved yellow tops with red hibiscus flowers and tight shorts. The men wear various wild-designed tops.

"It's a perfect match of form, function and art," Bonann said.

Mysterioso has given "Baywatch Hawaii" some 800 product pieces, worth about $10,000, G said.

"The red suits will still be involved in the show this season but not as much as the yellow ones," said Wilmoth, adding the new yellow suit, like its predecessor, has four-way stretching capability because "there's a lot of movement and they fit very snug."

Tyr makes nearly 300 custom suits each season, valued "in the six figures," according to Rosen. Each star receives about two dozen suits.

Tyr, created in 1985, manufactures, markets and distributes competitive and active swim wear, triathlon apparel, beach volleyball wear and accessories. The company has been associated with "Baywatch" since the show started, Wilmoth said.

There are three style of swimsuits used on the show: the Lead Back, a Bonann favorite, featuring a high neck and high cut on the leg; the standard one-piece Maxback; and the Beach Tank, the most popular suit.

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