Vintage swimwear and the Hollywood connection
Textile designers
Textile designers also played a role in working with the swimwear designers to create the latest fashions for the swimwear industry.
In the mid-Forties, Louella Ballerino designed beach clothes for Jantzen. Many of these were created from Bates fabrics which took inspiration from Hawaii, Polynesia and Africa. Elza Sunderland was a pioneer of fine fabrics in the Forties and Fifties. She saw potential for producing printed rayon, acetate and Lastex, and was the first to design printed terrycloth. Her fabrics were a perfect match for designers in the sportswear industry.
As one of the first textile designers to understand the potential of the elasticized miracle fabrics that were so vital to swimwear, she worked with Margit Felligi for Cole, Mary Ann DeWeese for Catalina and Rose Marie Reid. She retired in 1955.
Margit Felligi patented the Maletex process for Cole, which was Cole’s version of Lastex. She also was the first to use Helanca Nylon for swim wear in 1954. Margit also worked closely with Christian Dior when he designed for Cole.
For more fantastic articles on vintage swimwear, not to mention the best selection of vintage swimwear available to buy visit Glamoursurf.com
Category: 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, Fashion, Vintage news, Vintage Style Icons
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All those swimsuits are so lovely. I’m either going to have to scrape up enough money to buy one, or find a vintage pattern and make one.
i have a blue vintage swim ware almost like this one, i found it in the vintage store here in riverside and i didn’t know i wasn’t suppose to mess with it so i tailored it to fit my body lucky i didn’t cut anything i just needed a couple of inches off but it’s in really good conditions and i love to wear it just to show it off =D