Jantzen began as the Portland Knitting Company, founded in 1910 by Carl Jantzen and John and Roy Zehntbauer. In the first years of the company, they produced mainly heavy wool sweaters, gloves and socks. By 1918 they were making a very popular unisex swimming suit, and the company changed its name to Jantzen Knitting Mills.
In 1920, a logo was added to the swimming suit – a diving girl in a red swimsuit. This became the Jantzen trademark. As styles changed, so did the red diving girl, and the style of her suit can be a hint as to the age of the garment.
In the mid 1920s the Jantzen girl donned her cap and stockings. In the 1930s-40s the figure became more streamlined, her swimsuit became a bit shorter and the stripes are gone from the legs. The Jantzen insignia logo is embroidered on the front of her suit in the 1930’s. In 1948 the logo insignia is gone and the Jantzen diving girl has become a bit more streamlined and her suit becomes strapless.
Through the 1920s and 1930s, Jantzen refined their basic swimsuit into the modern bathing suit. Swimwear continued to be the most important part of their business, but in 1939 they expanded into foundations, and in 1940 they introduced a line of sportswear. During the mid and late 1940s, Louella Ballerino did collections for Jantzen. In 1954, the company again changed its name, this time to Jantzen Inc.
By the mid 1960s, the company developed their sportswear manufacturing. The company went public in 1970, and ten years later was purchased by Blue Bell. Jantzen still produces swimwear and sportswear today as part of Perry Ellis International, Inc.
Written by vintage-voyager.com and glamoursurf.com
See also: Web Foot
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from a 1923 swimsuit
Courtesy of Kristin Wojkowski / Vintage.Swimwear.Collection
from a 1920s swim suit
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from a 1920s suit (Notice the cap and stockings)
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from a 1920s unisex bathing suit
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from an early 1930s swim suit
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from an early 1930s swimsuit (Notice USA embroidered on hat)
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from a 1930 swimsuit
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from a mid to late 1930s swimsuit
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from a 1930s bathing suit
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from a late 1930s swimsuit
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from a 1930s/1940s swim suit
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from a 1940s swimsuit
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from a 1940s reindeer sweater
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from a 1940s swimsuit
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from a 1940s swimsuit
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hangtag from a pair of 1940s men's trunks
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from a 1940s swimsuit
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from a pair of 1944 shorts
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from a 1940s t-shirt
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from a 1940s sweater
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from a 1946 swimsuit
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from a 1946 sunsuit & skirt
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from a 1946 bathing suit
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from a late 1940s knit dress
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from a late-1940s/early-1950s pair of shorts
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from late 1940s/early 1950s wedge shoes
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from a pair of early-1950s shorts
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from an early 1950s swimsuit
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from an early 1950s swimsuit
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from an early 1950s suit
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from a 1950s bathing suit
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from a 1950s romper
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from a 1950s cardigan
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from a 1950s bathing suit
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from a 1950s men's shirt
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from a 1950s sweater
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from late 1950s shirt
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from a late 1950s men's sweater
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from a 1950s/1960s strapless suit: shorter logo
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from an early 1960s merry widow corsette
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from an early 1960s sweater
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from a 1960s swim suit
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from a 1960s knit dress
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from a 1960s girdle
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from a 1960s men's beach cabana set
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from a 1960s men's sweater vest
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from a late 1960s- early 1970s Hawaiian shirt
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from a late 1960s swimsuit
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from a late 1960s/early 1970s bathing suit
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from a 1970s pair of men's trunks
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from a 1980s cardigan
Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage
from a 1980s cardigan
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from a pair of 1980s men's swim trunks
Courtesy of Metro Retro Vintage
from a 1980s men's sweater
Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage
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