The Wild side! Tamara Mellon looked tanned and toned in animal bikini at St Barts

She might be 44, but Tamara Mellon still boasts a figure that women half her age would be proud of.

The Jimmy Choo co-founder showed off her toned figure in a sexy animal-print bikini as she hit the beach with her daughter in St Barts yesterday.

The skimpy string two-piece highlighted Tamara's enviable curves as she enjoyed a dip in the cool water after a spot of sunbathing.

Talking a walk on the wild side! Tamara Mellon looked fierce in an animal-print bikini as she hit the beach in St Barts 

But it seemed perhaps the swimwear wasn't the most supportive option for Tamara, as the mother-of-two appeared to be struggling and looked surprised as she got caught up in a large wave while swimming in the sea.

However, the waves didn't stop Tamara from looking effortlessly stylish, and the former footwear tycoon clutched a pair of dark sunglasses as she splashed around.

Tamara has had an eventful year which saw her step down as director of luxury accessories brand Jimmy Choo.

But the pretty brunette is clearly looking forward to a successful New Year, and wrote on her Twitter page yesterday: 'Happy New Year !!! What you think you will manifest - so think positive 2012 !!'

Trying for a role in Baywatch? Tamara looked tanned and toned as she ran along the beach and in the sea

Stylish at every opportunity! Despite looking shocked as she was swept up by a giant wave, Tamara still managed to hold on to her sunglasses

It was announced in November that Tamara would be stepping down from her role at Jimmy Choo, in a departure which camefive months after she made �85million from the �525.5million sale of the business.

At the time of the sale Tamara was said to be staying on in a creative consultancy role and that she, along with other senior members of the Jimmy Choo management team, would become shareholders in Labelux, the luxury firm that bought Jimmy Choo in May.

In a post entitled Goodbye Note on her A Day, A Thrill blog earlier this year, Tamara had posted: 'I am so proud of all we have achieved at Jimmy Choo over the last 15 years and know that the best is yet to come�.Love Tamara x.'

The fashion tycoon took to her Twitter account @TamaraMellon to tell her followers personally, thanking them for their support in a tweet.

She said: 'Just retweeted all of your amazing messages - Thank you all my tweet friends. I will keep you posted!'

 

Beauty Light! Tamara Mellon spends the end of the year with herfamily on the beach and covers up her bikini in a lime green tank top