FlamAid teams up with 38Graus for safety-first swimwear collaboration

FlamAid, a Portuguese passive self-defense startup founded by Julieta Rueff, has partnered with local swimwear label 38Graus for a bold collaboration merging fashion and personal protection. The limited-edition “Safe & Naked” set includes a statement bikini and a compact personal safety alarm designed to empower women in public spaces.

The collaboration brings together FlamAid’s signature product—a grenade-shaped device that emits a 110-decibel alarm and notifies police and emergency contacts—with a daring bikini designed by 38Graus. The campaign invites women to embrace summer with freedom, without compromising on personal safety.

FlamAid was created by Julieta Rueff, whose brand name fuses “flame” and “aid” as a symbol of strength and support. Rueff launched the company after personally experiencing fear in public spaces. “We were talking about summer and our bodies, and how even wearing something simple like a summer top or shorts can make you feel exposed or unsafe,” Rueff said in an interview with Portuguese magazine Máxima. “That constant fear is what led me to create FlamAid.”

Founded by Marta Oliveira, along with Inês Pereira da Costa and Joana Machado, 38Graus is recognized for its inclusive and expressive approach to swimwear. Together, the two brands aim to shift the conversation around vulnerability and body confidence.

FlamAid, which operates with a small but growing team, was recently spotlighted by Forbes Portugal, which noted its upcoming second round of investment in 2025. The magazine wrote: “The company founded by a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree joins forces with a bikini brand to champion women’s safety.”

Rueff added on Instagram, “We felt it was time to strip the conversation about women’s safety down to its core—literally. Summer should be about freedom, showing your body, and feeling light. But for many women, it comes with vulnerability. We want to change that narrative.”

At the heart of the campaign is a single question: What if you could feel fully exposed and still feel protected? The “Safe & Naked” set responds with both form and function: a fashion-forward swimsuit paired with a discreet self-defense device. The alarm, styled like a small grenade, can be carried in hand or clipped to a bag, ready to be activated with the push of a button.

To visualize the message, the team staged a campaign shoot on the streets of Lisbon, featuring models in 38Graus swimwear equipped with FlamAid’s personal alarm. Rueff noted that the imagery was partly inspired by past Desigual campaigns that invited shoppers to “come naked, we’ll dress you.” In this case, she said, “It’s more like—even if you’re naked, we’ll protect you.”