What do you do when you can’t find swimwear you like? Invent a company that will come up with the goods, of course. This is exactly what twin sisters, Belinda Robinson and Anna Roscoe, did, when they’d got fed up with the “soul-destroying misery of the annual hunt for swimwear”.

In 2003, they made it their mission to create a mail-order company that would provide sophisticated, well-cut costumes that flattered real people. Unlike many of those riding the wave of online retailing, the sisters have always been careful to focus on strong customer service and excellent fitting advice. (They even go so far as to display a London telephone number prominently on the site’s homepage.)

They know their customer well, too. Anna Roscoe told us: “For many people, a visit to Coco Bay’s website is part of planning for their holiday, so to give the site atmosphere we always do location shoots. Our aim is to transport people to that warm paradise even if they are buying beachwear in the midst of winter.”

Coco Bay is still going strong today, with an enticing array of bikinis, one-pieces, kaftans, activewear and accessories from several carefully chosen designers.

Here, we sort your holiday needs with our pick of this season’s offerings.