MINI X KULANI KINIS.

Published August 2026

Dani Atkins—Founder of Kulani Kinis—races after sunshine every day. Through color, form and design, Dani captures the carefree bliss of vacation in her swimwear collections. Her bright days were hard-earned after years of work in defining the Kulani Kinis identity.

And that strong sense of self is what launched the brand into success, including a recent collaboration with MINI for Miami Swim Week.

Getting across the finish line was nothing short of an incredible ride.

Finding
escape in the
everyday.

Over a decade ago, Dani found herself at a crossroads. Dani had a vision for a swimwear brand that would capture the colorful escape of paradise. That blissful feeling of being beachside on vacation, even when you’re stuck at home. The big holdup: she and her husband, Alex, had no formal training in fashion or design. It would’ve been easy to stick with their day jobs and accept conventions. Dani tossed convention to the curb and went all-in against the odds. Kulani Kinis was born.

Dani Atkins and Alex holding up peace signs in front of a Kulani Swim pop up.

No risk, no
magic.

As they build the Kulani Kinis aesthetic, Dani intentionally disregarded trends and fads. Instead, she leaned into her obsession with color, patterns and texture. Dubbing themselves “the hibiscus hunters,” Dani and Alex have collected folders of flowers as visual references. They also sourced inspiration from Palm Springs, 1970s nostalgia, photographer Slim Aarons and saturated tones found in nature.

In their time in Los Angeles, their love for color even translated to their car of choice. “When Alex and I lived in L.A., we drove a little red MINI,” Dani shares, a dream come to life after wishing for a 1970s vintage pink MINI when she first learned to drive.  

It wasn’t the only spark of creativity Dani would find in MINI’s history.

“Without the willingness to do something different and take a chance, we wouldn't be where we are today.”

Creating Kulani Kinis didn't just require Dani and Alex to quit their jobs. It pushed them to move across coasts and oceans, from Sydney, to Los Angeles, back to Australia and to Miami. But this momentum and change were crucial as they learned to trust their intuition.
As they build the Kulani Kinis aesthetic, Dani intentionally disregarded trends and fads. Instead, she leaned into her obsession with color, patterns and texture. Dubbing themselves “the hibiscus hunters,” Dani and Alex have collected folders of flowers as visual references.

They also sourced inspiration from Palm Springs, 1970s nostalgia, photographer Slim Aarons and saturated tones found in nature.

Two women in a pink-branded MINI convertible at a Kulani Kinis promotional event.

The past
fuels present
expression.

Tropical Tours, the Kulani Kinis collection featured at Miami Swim Week, was inspired by an underdog triumph at Monte Carlo. The incredible coincidence? That same piece of history is part of the MINI story, too. “Tropic Tours was inspired by a little graphic we saw—a black-and-white image from around the 1960s of a particular car. We believe it's the MINI Climax”.

Dani explains the amazing overlap of fate. That photo of MINI at Monte Carlo ignited Dani’s imagination for racing-inspired prints: the buzz of excitement before a race, the blazing heat of tar and sun, the glitz of casinos and stars at the end of a day in Monte Carlo. In the center of the collection is Pit Stop Paradise, a print showcasing the world of racing. Details include oversized logos on leather jackets, retro toy cars, star motifs, colors pulled from water and racing, and—a callback to Dani’s L.A. car—a little red MINI. For as eye-catching as it is on a swimsuit, Pit Stop Paradise made an even bigger expression blow up on a MINI.

“Seeing our Pit Stop Paradise on a MINI—we were screaming. It blew our minds,”

Dani gushes about the full-circle MINI moment, going all the way back to that black-and-white inspiration photo.

Above angle of a table with various items, including a laptop, notebook, and fabric.

"There's a story behind that car—this small manufacturer surprised everyone, including themselves, and won the Monte Carlo race.

It was a David-and-Goliath situation: a very small maker, much like our story, who weren't sure they belonged and then made waves."

Tell your own story through a custom MINI

UNIQUELY
expressive.

Kulani Kinis and MINI have one more thing in common: clothing and cars both serve a functional purpose. They also empower people to decide how they show up. What turns heads? What starts a conversation?   
What you wear and what you drive are powerful expressions of self. This value was foundational when Dani started Kulani Kinis, and it still guides her today.

“If you can stand out and make your mark, that’s where the magic is.” Part of making that mark is in what you drive. Dani goes on to explain, “the customization part is so much fun. You get to create something unique to you that nobody else has, with all your little touches — like an intimate little bubble. If you’re in your MINI being transported around, it’s almost like your second home is taking you, and if someone steps into your world, they see a bit more of who you are.”

Through Dani’s never-ending pursuit of sunshine, Kulani Kinis embraces the brightness of individuality and the spark of greatness found in the most unlikely places. The tale of the underdog is just as essential to Kulani Kinis as it is to MINI.    In Dani’s own words, the collaboration of both brands “carries the story of Monte Carlo, that little maverick that won the race, through to now, 60 years on, with all of us still crushing it.”