Marylea Conrad grew up playing on the sands of Manly and Bondi beaches in Sydney, Australia. But the Aussie native, 25, has been in love with Hawai'i and its beaches since childhood.

Just three years after moving to the Islands, she's launching Melia Conrad, a beachwear line named after one of Hawai'i's most ubiquitous flowers, the plumeria — and her infant daughter. On Thursday, she will unveil her first collection in the hope that local boutique buyers will scoop it up (see below).

Conrad buys fabrics from Italy and has the line manufactured in Australia. As a graduate of the University of Technology in Sydney, she has a comfort level with the cut-and-sew people in Australia, having worked with the same suppliers during school. Her final exam was a "parade" (Aussie-speak for "fashion show") of swimwear.

Does Hawai'i need another swimwear designer? Conrad, who is also the associate editor for Ward Centers Magazine, believes the local market is saturated with surf, skimpy and sport-style swimwear, but feels there is a niche for a chic, sophisticated line.

"The cuts in Australia are more conservative, with fuller bottoms or boy shorts," she explained.

Her maillots, two-piece suits and tankinis have a retro flair, with sassy '50s silhouettes as well as an au courant feel in a black-and-white plumeria-print halter tankini. Her silk caftan cover-up is a throwback to the '60s, when Island women entertained at home.

Conrad's father, Tony Ablen, helps her on the custom prints. A graphic designer who emigrated from the Philippines to Australia as an animator for Hanna-Barbera, Ablen uses a digital printing process. He treats the fabric as a canvas, blowing up photos of plumeria and manipulating the images until he gets a print that can repeat to produce the necessary yardage.

The process is expensive but eco-friendly, said Conrad. "It uses much less ink and also less water to flush the screen."

Conrad has taken cues from O'ahu and Sydney surfers, making her suits' pads and straps removable. She also carefully researched clips, settling on a style that is easy to undo but resists getting stuck.

Conrad's fingers are crossed that local boutique buyers will turn up in the front row at her O Lounge fashion show.

Beginning in late April or early May, her beachwear will be available at Split Obsession, Koko Marina Shopping Center; The Butik, 1067 Kapi'olani Blvd.; and Rafael, 22 S. Pauahi St. Pieces will be available soon at www.meliaconrad.com, at $80 to $120 per piece.