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Anne Cole swimwear is a sister company to Cole of California, which began in 1923 when Fred Cole joined the family's knit underwear business. Fred Cole was an actor, and thought men’s long knit underwear was somewhat boring, so he began designing bathing suits with a more glamorous, Hollywood-inspired look. Anne Cole, Fred's daughter, represented Cole of California in the 1950's, which was an uphill battle from the start.  Evidently the less covered-up bathing suits were considered immoral by many women, and swimsuits were literally kept behind the store counters in brown paper bags. Anne Cole learned the swimsuit business from the ground up, progressively improving the construction of swimwear and making it more comfortable and supportive. Even though the two-piece bikini swimsuit had stormed the beaches of France in 1946, getting women to even consider wearing them was a tough sell, literally. Esther Williams, the famous actress and aquatic ballet diva, became a celebrity spokeswoman for Cole swimsuits in 1951, giving more validity to the wearing of swimwear for performance needs.

Cole of California was sold to Kayser-Roth in the early 1960s, with the Anne Cole Collection being launched in 1982. These swimsuits were traditionally elegant, feminine and sexy in a quiet way. In 1997, Anne Cole introduced the tankini, which was a two-piece style with a top that covered the torso, a boon to woman who prefer to be a bit more covered up, and want to conceal figure issues. Cole of California and Anne Cole Collection have survived and thrived through the decades, emerging into the 21st century with beautifully designed swimwear styles.

Anne Cole swimsuits have evolved into fashionable, affordable tankinis, bikinis, and one piece styles that the modern woman can wear at the pool or beach, in silky stretch fabrics that are comfortable and sexy.