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Image Not Available for Women's 1984 Australian Olympic swimsuit
Women's 1984 Australian Olympic swimsuit
Image Not Available for Women's 1984 Australian Olympic swimsuit

Women's 1984 Australian Olympic swimsuit

Maker
Designer
Date1984
Object number00019045
NameSwimsuit
MediumNylon, elastane (spandex or Lycra), cotton
DimensionsOverall: 500 x 285 mm, 0.07 kg
Clothing size: 10
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Speedo International Ltd
DescriptionThis swimsuit was based on the 'panel' design created by Gloria Smythe (Mortimer-Dunn) for the Australian women's Olympic swimming and diving teams in 1984. The suit incorporates a dark green body, with a yellow diagonal panel across the chest and green piping around the edges. At the centre of the panel is an Australian Olympic shield, flanked on either side by decorative green stripes. Designed for freedom of movement and reduced drag, the suit has a cross over back, is cut high at the hip, and has a high round neck.HistoryIn 1955 Speedo introduced nylon into its competitive swimwear designs, and the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne saw the widespread use of the new fabric. The Australian swimming team first wore the Prestige Nylon Tricot fabric at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960. 1976 was the first year in which lycra was introduced as part of a blend with Nylon. This allowed a two-way stretch that gave swimmers greater freedom of movement. From 1957 the half skirt was replaced with the quarter skirt, and the introduction of the panel at the front gave more shape to the body and a better fit. By 1972 the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) allowed women to swim skirtless, though it was not until the 1976 Montreal Games that the Australian team design followed this trend. As it was summer in Los Angeles when the 1984 Olympic Games were taking place, Speedo supplied all Australian Olympians with the 'panel' swimsuit. To differentiate these suits from those worn in official competitions, the Australian shield was replaced with a map of Australia. SignificanceProduced as a stock item, this swimsuit demonstrates the influence of Olympic team designs on Speedo's commercial swimwear ranges. It was available from public retailers from August 1984.