Ashanti and her sister collaborate on new swimsuit collection

Grammy Award-winning singer/actress Ashanti, 38, and her little sister, Kenashia “Shia” Douglas, 30, both Glen Cove natives, have collaborated on a v-e-r-y saucy swimsuit collection with PrettyLittleThing, the U.K.-based fashion retailer aimed at young women from 14 to the millennial set. The 74-piece line, in sizes 4 to 24, includes swimsuits and cover-ups all inspired by “tropical global travel.”

According to Ashanti, the collection “exudes women’s empowerment celebrating all women, shapes, sizes and colors.” She stars in the advertising campaign wearing (quite well, may we add) an eye-popping selection of looks including some barely-there bikinis along with cutout varieties. Her sister, who has a background in design and fashion and served as creative director and designer for the collection, says, “Interchangeable pieces was the goal with swimsuits paired with looks you can wear from bathing to bar.”

Could you go to the bar in an opalescent key-ring bikini worn with matching ruffled chaps?  Perhaps, and it might be killer on the dance floor.  A sheer lime green dress obscuring — just a bit — a strappy bikini beneath might be an easier look for out on the beach town.  There are loads of choices in the lineup, which is dubbed as “outfits that are not made to play by the rules”: plunging necklines, one-shoulder looks; animal prints such as peacock, snake and tiger; tribal motifs; shimmer; and brilliant neon blasts in orange, pink and green.

The PrettyLittleThing x Ashanti collection is affordably priced and runs from $18 to $88 and will launch on Monday, July 1 at prettylittlething.com