Jantzen Swimwear

Talking About Jantzen Swimwear

Yael, just how long has Jantzen been making swimwear?

Actually, Jantzen invented the swimsuit in 1910 and will be celebrating their 100th anniversary very soon.

We loved leafing through the time line at the Jantzen website. Everyone seems to focus on Jantzen swimsuits for women, but the company used to manufacture them for men too. Why don't they make men's swimsuits anymore?

From a historical standpoint, the first suits that Jantzen produced were bathing suits. They were of flat construction and worn by both men and women. Jantzen designed the first suits specifically for the female form with bra construction in 1934. Mens swimsuits were produced by Jantzen from 1915 through 1995. After Perry Ellis International (PEI) purchased the company they produced a line Jantzen mens swim suits in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

The PEI matrix allows us to offer product extensions for men’s swim wear under our existing brands/labels. At the present time, we have great distribution with mens, but will focus on Jantzen exclusively for women’s swimsuits. That is not to say we won't explore men’s swimsuits again in the future.

Some swimsuit manufacturers tend to design for a particular audience or age group. Who is the ideal Jantzen swimwear woman?

The collection has cross generational appeal, offering a variety of styles and silhouettes. The size scales have changed according to the new size demographics in the USA today. As a heritage brand, we will celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2010, thus the brand resonates well with a baby boom consumer.

What is the focus of the 2008 collection?

There is a general trend towards renaissance fashion..."what's old is new". Consumers feel comfortable wearing timeless classics and period fashions harkening back to the modest, good old days. We have reached a time where people treasure the sensibility of classic style.

Our marketing events and promotions for Spring 2008 compliment this theme. We have partnered with Vogue to utilize the Conde Nast archives and magazine covers from the late 50's. The Janzen swimsuits advertised during that time period look very similar to today's fashions, yet you see the modernization of style with a current design twist. We will be featuring a retrospective exhibit with Macy's Herald Square and Vogue highlighting our heritage and evolution of the brand.

Monte Carlo

Swarovski Crystals

Gold Metallic

These designs have a sort of timeless feel to them. Which styles and colors do you feel will be the "must haves" for 2008?

Undeniably, the red vamp is the mainstay of the collection. Red looks great on just about anyone, and the cut of this suit is designed to flatter a variety of figures, hence its great appeal.

What kind of price can women expect to pay for a quality Jantzen swimsuit?

The swimsuits run anywhere from $98-$132.

No matter how well designed a swimsuit is, if it doesn't fit right it won't look good. What is the key to achieving the best fit possible?

1. Don’t pay too much attention to the size the tag says it is, swimsuits fit differently than sports wear so try a few sizes until you get that perfect fit. There should be no bulges around the leg holes or waist; if that happens it's a sign that you need to go up a size.
2. If you are busty, look for a swim suit with either a built in shelf bra with support or an under wire.
3. Avoid shopping for swimsuits in the Junior department if you’re not a junior, even if you still can fit in the sizes. Junior swimsuits are designed for very young girls so the proportions are different, specifically the rises.
4. If you need some tummy control, choose a suit that has a built in tummy panel; it will hold in the tummy and give a smoother look.
5. Know your body; know what you want to enhance and what you want to camouflage. For instance, if you want to create the illusion of a more defined waist, look for ruching at the waist. If you want to camouflage your hips but still show off your legs, there are great new swim minis in various lengths that are really trendy and very functional as well.
6. Always look in a three-way mirror before purchasing any suit. Checking how the back fits is key to feeling confident and sexy in a swimsuit.
7. When the swimsuit is on, march in place for a few minutes with knees high. The butt of the suit will shift slightly, but if the entire swimsuit becomes a wedgie it is not a good fit for you, and you will spend the entire day pulling and tugging at it.
8. Regardless of all the fit attributes you see on an advertisement, you don’t actually know how well any swimsuit will fit your body until you actually try it on. Don't skip this crucial step before making a purchase.

Spots

Bronze

Animal Fusion

Where can we find Jantzen swimsuit fashions?

Jantzen swimwear is found at many better department and specialty store, including:

• Macy’s
• Dillard’s
• Belk
• The Beachhouse Swimwear
• Everything But Water

See for Yourself

LoveToKnow would like to thank Yael Fraynd for taking the time to chat about Jantzen swimwear. You can experience the timeless quality of Jantzen swimwear for yourself by visiting Jantzen.com.