Weekend fashion parades held at the Gold Coast to help launch the inaugural Bleach Surfing the Fringe cultural festival celebrated the history of skimpy swimsuits along with bold new designs from big name brands.

Alongside the new season bikini range from Billabong, a range of retro designs spanning 60 years in beach fashion were trotted out deckside at Coolangatta’s Komune resort as part of the Sway on Sunset catwalk event.

Cue sunseekers from the '70s, leggy visions channelling a Physical Olivia Newton-John, red one-pieces screaming Baywatch and frilly, flirty, gingham swimmers cut from a Post War pin-up calendar.

Drawn from Karen Neilson's Pearly Shells boutique, The Vintage Collection was included in the modern fashion event to take runway watchers on a three-part journey charting the bikini’s evolution, curator Heidi Bartholomew said.

By showing the collection of authentic vintage swimwear alongside new looks from local favourites such as Tallow, Alope and bikini lover, Ms Bartholomew hoped observers would see the swimsuits for their sartorial significance as much as their skin-exposing strengths.

"Sway on Sunset pays homage to the bikini and aims to bring style, sophistication and playfulness back to the beach," Ms Bartholomew said.

"[By focusing on] the bikini’s incarnations from vintage glamour to coastal modern fashion, [we are] restoring and resurrecting the bikini’s status as a true style icon."

Sway on Sunset was one of 55 scheduled surf culture happenings taking place across various Southern Gold Coast destinations until Sunday, February 26, as part of the Bleach Surfing the Fringe festival. More information available via the website.