LACMA

ShopMembershipMyLACMATickets
LACMA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@lacma.org
(323) 857-6000
Sign up to receive emails
Subscribe
© Museum Associates 2025

Museum Hours

Monday

11 am–6 pm

Tuesday

11 am–6 pm

Wednesday

Closed

Thursday

11 am–6 pm

Friday

11 am–8 pm

Saturday

10 am–7 pm

Sunday

10 am–7 pm

 

  • About LACMA
  • Jobs
  • Building LACMA
  • Host An Event
  • Unframed
  • Press
  • FAQs
  • Log in to MyLACMA
  • Privacy Policy
© Museum Associates 2025
Collections

Margit Fellegi
Woman's Swimsuit1936

Not on view
Fitted one-piece garment in smocked raspberry-magenta fabric with large white and cornflower-blue floral embroidery, displayed on an invisible form against a gray background
Textile sculpture of a one-piece swimsuit form in magenta with large embroidered daisy motifs in white and turquoise blue, displayed on a dark stand against a gray background.
Close-up detail of a smocked textile garment in deep burgundy with white polka dots, featuring large floral resist-dyed patches in white and blue, with diamond-grid hand stitching visible at center.
Close-up detail of a textile with rows of gathered, ruffled fabric strips in burgundy with white polka dots, plain white, and turquoise blue, stitched together with visible red thread.
Designer
Margit Fellegi
United States, 1903 - 1975
Design House
Cole of California
United States, California, Los Angeles, founded 1925
Title
Woman's Swimsuit
Place Made
United States, California
Date Made
1936
Medium
Cotton plain weave, printed, with elastic smocking (Matletex)
Dimensions
Center front length: 20 1/4 in. (51.44 cm) Center back length: 13 in. (33.02 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Margit Fellegi
Accession Number
M.74.76.11
Classification
Costumes
Collecting Area
Costume and Textiles
Curatorial Notes

Having begun his career with an underwear company, West Coast Knitting Mills, Fred Cole introduced glamour and sophistication into women’s swimsuits by changing the style, cut, and weight of knits previously used for undergarments. His head designer, Margit Fellegi, further revolutionized the swimwear industry in 1936 with the “Matletex” process of shirring cotton on elastic thread. For the first time, swimsuits that hugged the body like knits could be made in floral and geometric prints in brilliant “California” colors.



(California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way," 2011-12)

Selected Bibliography
  • Kaplan, Wendy, ed. Living in a Modern Way: California Design, 1930-1965. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2013.
Selected Exhibition History
  • California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way". October 1, 2011 - June 3, 2012
  • California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way". October 1, 2011 - June 3, 2012