Cole of California is a swimwear brand, known for innovations in fashionable swimwear.
Early history and swimwear
Established in 1917 by F.L and Joseph Drane in Vernon, California, West Coast Knitting Mills made men's long knitted underwear and socks, quickly becoming the largest knitting mill in the western United States. Apparel manufacturer Morris Cohn obtained an interest in the company in the early 1920s. Cohn's son Fred Cole was attracted to the family business after a time as a silent movie actor, having changed his name to the more marketable Cole and incurred his family's disapproval over his first choice of career.[1] Cole brought his Hollywood experience, and persuaded his family to start a line of women's swimwear. Competing with Catalina Swimwear and Jantzen, Cole in 1925 introduced the sleeveless "Hollywood Swimsuit" with a low back and neckline and a short skirt. Also called a “Prohibition suit”, the new, colorful suit incorporated elastic to hug the body. By the standards of the time, in which swimsuits had sleeves and knee-length legs, the Hollywood Suit was risqué, and immediately popular.[1][2]