Catalina Swimwear

Catalina (originally Bentz Knitting Mills, later Pacific Knitting Mills and Catalina Knitting Mills) is an American swimwear brand founded in 1907 in Los Angeles, California. Once one of the largest swimwear manufacturers in the United States, Catalina played a significant role in the development of American swimwear fashion and was instrumental in the creation of the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants in 1952.^[1][2]

The company was founded in 1907 by John C. Bentz as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small Los Angeles manufacturer of underwear and sweaters.^[1][2] In 1912, the firm was renamed Pacific Knitting Mills and began producing knitted swimwear alongside its existing lines.^[1] The early swimsuits were made from wool and modeled on the simple one-piece style popularized in the United States by Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman.^[1][3]

During the 1920s, Catalina - alongside competitors Jantzen in Oregon and Cole of California - was part of a wave of West Coast manufacturers that capitalized on the era's growing interest in outdoor sports and physical fitness.^[1] The company produced increasingly fashionable designs that moved beyond traditional wool one - pieces, including the boldly striped "Chicken Suit", the men's "Speed Suit", and the "Ribstitch S" suit.^[2][1]

In 1928, following the death of founder John C. Bentz, the company was renamed Catalina Knitting Mills under the leadership of Edgar W. Stewart, a name referencing nearby Santa Catalina Island.^[1]

With the rise of the Hollywood film industry in the 1930s, Catalina adopted the marketing slogan "Styled for the Stars of Hollywood" and recruited film actresses including Bette Davis, Joan Blondell, and Olivia de Havilland for advertising campaigns.^[2][4]

In the 1940s, the company enlisted prominent Hollywood costume designers, including Orry-Kelly, Milo Anderson, Edith Head, and Travis Banton, to design swimwear collections.^[3][1] Catalina also became the official swimwear supplier for the Miss America beauty pageant during this period.^[3]

In the 1950s, Fred Cole, a silent movie actor in the 1920s, promoted Catalina swimwear with Esther Williams.^[5]

Catalina sponsored the Miss America pageant until 1951, when that year's winner, Yolande Betbeze, refused to pose for publicity photographs wearing a Catalina swimsuit.^[6][7] In response, the company withdrew its sponsorship and in 1952 organized two rival competitions: the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, held concurrently in Long Beach, California.^[6][1] The first Miss Universe pageant was co-sponsored by Catalina along with Pan American World Airways and Universal Pictures.^[8]

By the mid-20th century, the company shortened its name to simply Catalina (from 1955).^[1]

In the 1960s, Catalina became a sister company to Cole of California,^[9] a swimwear manufacturer established in 1925. The duo later joined Authentic Fitness Corporation, a subsidiary of Warnaco Inc, in 1993. The merger created a company of swim, active and fitness brands. The following year, with the rising importance of mass market retailers, the decision was made to offer Catalina to Wal-Mart stores across America.

In 1975, Catalina was acquired by Kayser-Roth Corporation, the apparel division of Gulf & Western.^[1] In the following decades, the company faced increasing competitive pressure and declining demand in its core swimwear segment.^[1]

Catalina filed for bankruptcy in 1993.^[1] That year, the brand was acquired by Authentic Fitness Corporation, a subsidiary of the Warnaco Group, and combined with Cole of California to form Catalina Cole.^[1][10] Under Warnaco, Catalina became part of its Swimwear Group portfolio, which also included Speedo, Anne Cole, Nautica, and Michael Kors swimwear lines.

In 1994, Catalina began distribution through Walmart stores across the United States, shifting the brand toward the mass market retail segment.^[4]

In December 2007, the Warnaco Group sold the Catalina, Anne Cole, and Cole of California businesses to In Mocean Group LLC, a New York-based swimwear manufacturer and importer, in a deal valued at approximately $26 million.^[11][12][13]

• Cole of California
• Jantzen
• Miss Universe
• Miss USA
• History of swimwear

• Lenček, Lena; Bosker, Gideon (1989). Making Waves: Swimsuits and the Undressing of America. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-87701-398-3.
• Koda, Harold; Martin, Richard (1990). Splash! A History of Swimwear. New York: Rizzoli.