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Revision as of 19:22, 9 March 2013
Gottex is a luxury, designer swimwear manufacturer based in Tel Aviv. The brand has been described as "swimwear haute couture".
History
Gottex was founded in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1956 by Lea Gottlieb, who would head the design team until 1998. She adapted her expertise as a raincoat manufacturer to create a pioneering swimsuit company.
She sold her wedding ring for capital, bought fabric, borrowed a sewing machine and began to design swimsuits that were unique to Israel, inspired by the local Middle-Eastern light and colors: "the aqua of the Mediterranean, the golden yellow of the desert, the blue of Lake Tiberias, the pink of Jerusalem stone and the greens of the Galilee."
In Gottlieb's vision, Gottex collections can be worn "from pool to the bar," and then to a restaurant or cocktail parties. In addition to swimsuits, Gottex produces caftans, tunics and trousers, combining swimwear and beachwear. Gottex is a pioneer of swimsuits with hard-cup bras. Gottex is known for using innovative fabrics. It was the first manufacturer to introduce Spandex. By the 1980s, Gottex swimsuits were being worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, Spain's Queen Sofia, Elizabeth Taylor and Brooke Shields.
In 1997, Gottex was acquired by the Africa-Israel Group. In 2009 it was bought by Joey Schwebel. The creative director is Molly Grad.
Gottex is America's top swimsuit import. According to the Israel Export Institute, exports of Israeli swimwear totaled $44 million in 1999.
See also
References
- Fashion windows: Gottex
- Fashion windows: Gottex
- Fashion windows: Gottex
- Good Gottex! Women Seeking Bold, Slimming Swimwear Make Israeli Company No. 1 in America
- 60 years of Israeli design, art and achievement
- Rudolph, Barbara (June 3, 1985). "Israel's Place in the Sun". TIME. Retrieved July 29, 2011
- Good Gottex! Women Seeking Bold, Slimming Swimwear Make Israeli Company No. 1 in America
- Israel: Retailing, The Wholesale Way