Gottex facts for kids

Gottex collection at New York Fashion Week, 2007.

Gottex is a famous company from Israel that designs and makes swimwear, like swimsuits and bikinis. Their main office is in Tel Aviv.

The Story of Gottex Swimwear

How Gottex Started

Gottex swimsuits from 1961.

Gottex was started in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1956. A talented designer named Lea Gottlieb founded the company. She led the design team for many years, until 1998. Before Gottex, Lea was good at making raincoats. She used her skills to create a new kind of swimsuit company.

Lea Gottlieb sold her wedding ring to get money for her business. She bought fabric and borrowed a sewing machine. She started designing swimsuits that were special to Israel. Her designs were inspired by the bright colors and light of the Middle East. She used colors like the blue of the Mediterranean Sea and the golden yellow of the desert. She also used the pink of Jerusalem stone and the green of the Galilee region.

Lea Gottlieb's Inspiration

Lea Gottlieb working at the Gottex factory.

During a difficult time in Hungary, Lea Gottlieb had to hide with her family. To avoid being recognized, she would often hide her head in a bouquet of flowers. She later said that the flower designs in her swimsuits were a way to remember the flowers that helped keep her safe.

Lea Gottlieb wanted Gottex swimwear to be versatile. She imagined people wearing her collections "from the pool to the bar." This meant the clothes could be worn at the beach and then to a restaurant or a party. Besides swimsuits, Gottex also makes other beachwear. These include caftans, tunics, and trousers. Gottex was also one of the first companies to make swimsuits with special bra cups. They were also known for using new and interesting fabrics. Gottex was the first company to use spandex in swimwear.

Growing the Brand

In 1975, famous fashion houses like Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Cardin wanted to make Gottex swimsuits under their own names. But Lea Gottlieb decided to expand Gottex instead. She started making swimwear for men and children. The company also began making bed linens, towels, and drapes.

By the 1980s, Gottex swimsuits were very popular. Many famous people wore them. These included Diana, Princess of Wales, Spain's Queen Sofia, Elizabeth Taylor, and Brooke Shields.

In 1997, a company called the Africa-Israel Group bought Gottex. This group was owned by Lev Avnerovich Leviev. Lea Gottlieb continued to lead the design team for another year. After that, at 85 years old, she started a new fashion company under her own name. She continued working there until she was 90.

By 1993, Gottex was the top imported swimsuit brand in America. In 1999, Israeli swimwear companies exported about $44 million worth of products. This shows how successful Gottex and other Israeli brands were.

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