Pucci Print Swimsuits from 1969 at August Auctions
Emilio Pucci became famous for his sportswear which makes sense as he was an athlete himself. He had been on the Italian ski team for the Olympics in 1932 and designed ski wear for himself and then was commissioned to create some for women by Harper’s Bazaar magazine. He then specialized in sportswear and casual wear through the 1950s and 1960s. It was a period of post-war prosperity and Americans especially had more leisure time and money than they had had in decades.
Pucci always enjoyed color in clothing and his colorful geometric prints became his hallmark (and their styles were copied by garment manufacturers). These playful looks fit well with sportswear especially at a time when looking youthful and energetic was a fashion in itself. Notice that these women’s suits cover more of the body than many suits would in later decades, and were thus easier to wear and move in. Pucci worked with ready-to-wear companies to produce these two suits under the label "Created by Emilio Pucci for Formfit Rogers" and one suit bragged “Printed in Italy Made in USA" to make it clear that this was a genuine Pucci print.
Interestingly, Augusta Auctions tell us that the bikini top fabric is made of silk satin while the briefs are made of spandex. I suspect these choices were made in order to allow the structure aimed for in supporting the breasts with a pieced design, while the briefs needed mostly stretch to allow the legs freer movement.
These swimsuits are part of an online auction February 15th, 2023 at Augusta Auctions. Go here for more info: https://augusta-auction.com/