This Margit Fellegi bathing suit and skirt ensemble is outstanding, made from a Glazed cotton chintz, elastic Matletex fabric (cotton that was warp-woven with Lastex to give the fabric a subtle stretch).
Margit Fellegi was Cole of California’s Head Designer from 1936 to 1972. Though Cole of California is celebrated in the swimwear industry, Margit Fellegi is largely unknown today. The talented designer spent her entire career working under a corporate label, though she was often named in advertisements and recognized for her achievements on behalf of the brand. Fellegi was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Hungarian immigrants. She studied art at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, and was also a successful dancer – her introduction to design was through making her own stage costumes. Early in her career she opened a custom film costume design studio in Beverly Hills, but in 1936 she was poached by Fred Cole, head of Cole Knitting Mills (later named Cole of California) to be his Head of Design for the company. Fellegi set a fashion-forward standard for the American swimwear industry.