Plankton model for swimwear

A scientist who has showcased the delicate beauty of plankton through film and photography has now turned to fashion for his latest project with a little help from Paul Smith.

Dr Richard Kirby, a Research Fellow in the Marine Institute at Plymouth University, has worked with the global fashion company to create swimming shorts sporting the iconic imagery of his Ocean Drifters.

The swimwear has been designed using images of eight species of phytoplankton, the microscopic plant-like cells that form the foundation of the food chain, all taken by Richard in his laboratory.

“I have always thought that plankton would make wonderful prints on fabric,” said Richard. “The colours are vibrant and the designs are both intriguing and unusual – it’s all very visual.

“But there is also a compelling story to plankton that goes beyond their visual appeal. They are one of the most important communities of organisms on the planet: they’ve made much of our landscape and created our oil and gas; they provide food for fish and the creatures that eat them, us included; and they provide the planet with half of its oxygen!”

The shorts have now been launched as part of Paul Smith’s Spring Summer swim collection.

Through his book, Ocean Drifters, a Secret World Beneath the Waves, and a film narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Richard has provided a window into the underwater world of phytoplankton and zooplankton, and revealed the many intricate physical forms that they take.

It has also led to his global ‘citizen science’ project called Secchi Disk, in which seafarers are recording phytoplankton concentrations around the world and uploading the data to a companion Secchi app.

Richard added: “I believe passionately in bringing the plankton to public attention and I use the pictures I take to help tell the truly remarkable story of how they influence our lives in ways that few would ever imagine. Working with Paul Smith has taken that in a completely new and exciting direction.”