Women's silver Watersun Marina Couture swimsuit
Maker
Marina Couture
Date1960s
Object number00008331
NameSwimsuit
MediumNylon
DimensionsOverall: 655 mm, 0.25 kg
Clothing size: 32
Clothing size: 32
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from ADA Productions
DescriptionMade by Watersun for their Marina Couture line in the 1960s, this highly decorative silver lame swimsuit features delicate brocade embellishment, an inbuilt underwire bra, a zippered back and elasticised edging on the legs and back.
HistoryIn the 1950s and early 1960s swimsuits and sunsuits were often shaped with paneling and built-in supports in order to create a curvaceous, ultra-feminine silhouette that emphasised the bust, waistline and hips. Known as a 'constructed' swimsuit they were first developed by a Canadian designer, Rose Marie Reid, in the 1940s.
Various swimwear designers drew on engineering and corsetry technology incorporating internal wiring, padding and elastic panels to achieve a sculptured cantilevered bust over a pinched-in 'wasp' waist. This voluptuous look was championed by film sirens Brigitte Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Jane Russell, Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe.SignificanceThis swimsuit is representative of women's beachwear fashions produced in Australia in the 1960s. It is also an important example of the development and use of textile technologies for manufacturing swimwear during the twentieth century.
