Cruise collection

So we were thinking of hosting a little Boxing Day at-home round my house this Christmas but it turns out that everyone - everyone - will be away, having had the good sense to book a winter holiday.

A trend, clearly - hence the growing importance of cruise collections. figleaves.com swimwear buyer Amanda Lepar gave me a sneak peek at the swimwear due to hit the site this month - so those of you clever souls who are jetting off somewhere hot can wow 'em on the beaches this Christmas.

"Red is the hot colour for next summer," promises Amanda - so get a head start courtesy of Freya and Fantasie.

More trends: stripes (see Seafolly, below right) chocolate (Moontide, below left), the new gold - a creamy champagne (Aguaclara and Aubade) and olive green (Aguaclara again, above).

And if you don't fancy embarking on a bikini diet right now (madness once the party season kicks in, after all) there's always Seaspray's New Plain one piece with a touch of control.

More new swimwear after the click.