Why was speedo swimwear invented

Gift Ideas. Get Help From Simply Swim. Holiday Shop. Search Submit. Very few companies have been able to weather the turbulent economy of recent as well as Speedo.

Since it was founded near the white sands of Bondi Beach, Australia by a young Scottish immigrant way back in under the brand name 'Fortitude', it didn't become the famous name we now know until , the company has been instrumental in the swimwear industry. He invested this good fortune back into the company, and branched out into swimwear. The racer-back costume was the result. The business gained worldwide recognition by sponsoring events such as the Olympics in and Once again, Speedo chose to funnel much of its funds into the war effort — giving the brand yet more recognition.

The new swimming trunks were made of nylon for the first time, and were worn proudly by the Australian swimming team, who took home eight gold medals. At the Mexico Olympics, 27 of the 29 gold medallists wore Speedo swimwear, further establishing them as the industry leader. The s and Beyond By the mid-seventies, Speedo had a number of subsidiaries, including its now headquarters in Nottingham, England. Also, at the Munich Olympics, 21 of the 22 world records set were made by swimmers wearing Speedo swimwear.

Australian year old Clare Dennis wore a Speedo racerback made of silk at the Olympics, winning m Breaststroke gold in a world record and causing controversy for showing her exposed shoulders in the swimsuit. The s saw an important step in the history of competitive swimwear with the use of nylon, a stronger and smoother fabric which reduced water resistance.

Swimsuits made of nylon or a blend of nylon and lycra became the norm in the second half of the 20th Century as the development of faster swimwear gathered pace. Swimsuit design took centre stage again in the early 21st Century with the introduction of the Speedo FASTSKIN suit which was designed to mimic a shark skin and create a more streamlined body in the water.

All of it helped fuel a desire for beachwear that far outpaced conservative thinking. When Speedo started expanding to the United States and England in , demand for new product increased. Enter Peter Travis, a designer who was hired by Speedo that year and tasked with coming up with a new swimwear design. His supervisors wanted Travis to mimic the popular Hawaiian board short; Travis wanted to do something more daring.

Travis cut a swim short to sit around the hips instead of the waist, which he thought would be more stable. He also trimmed around the thigh to allow for greater freedom of movement.

The new Speedo product came in three different sizes: 7 inches, 5 inches, or 3 inches. The larger the size, the more of the hip it would cover. Since this was a radical change for swimwear, men initially went for the more modest size of 7 inches. But as time went on, sales of the smallest size grew larger.

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