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Image Not Available for Magazine advertisement for Cole of California ladies swimsuits
Magazine advertisement for Cole of California ladies swimsuits
Image Not Available for Magazine advertisement for Cole of California ladies swimsuits

Magazine advertisement for Cole of California ladies swimsuits

Manufacturer (American)
Date1948
Object number00048056
NameAdvertisement
MediumColour lithograph, paper
DimensionsOverall: 355 x 260 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionWomen's magazines provided a forum for swimwear manufacturers to promote their latest swimwear fashions. Swimwear of the 1940s was characterised by use of peek-a-boo panels to reveal more of the abdomen, but not the navel. The two-piece suit was a trend prompted by wartime fabric shortages.HistoryCole of California began as the swimwear division of the West Coast Knitting Mills when Fred Cole, a former actor, joined the family firm in 1925. He directed his passion for glamour, beauty and theatre into designing women's swimwear that aimed to be a fashion statement rather than a purely functional garment. Cole maintained his links to Hollywood by employing cinema costume designers and making swimsuits for film stars. Esther Williams signed a modelling contract with Cole of California which included an annual swimwear design named after the star. From 1936 to 1972 the company employed former theatrical designer Margit Felligi as head designer. She introduced innovations such as the use of synthetic fibres including Lastex, nylon and spandex. In 1965 Felligi created a one-piece suit with a plunging net front aptly named the 'Scandal Suit'. Cole of California continues to manufacture swimwear, and Fred Cole's daughter Anne designs for the related company Anne Cole. While the 1940s reinvented the hour glass silhouette for women's fashions, including swimwear, the 1950s developed the trend with highly structured garments created from internal wiring, padding and elastic panels that exaggerated the feminine curves of the body. With the end of post-war rationing women's fashions became more luxurious with the use of animal prints, gold lamé, velvet, satin, spandex and sequins. SignificanceThis advertisement reflects the styling of women's swimwear fashions in the 1940s with the emphasis on curved silhouettes and revealing designs prompted by wartime fabric shortages.