100 Years of Jantzen exhibit + Win a retro ruffled swimsuit!
April 7, 2010 by karenvitt
Filed under Neat STUFF, Neat WIN
By Karen Vitt, NEAT editor in chief
“Own the sea and the sun and the sand and all the men in site!” That fabulous copy, lifted straight from a 1954 Jantzen ad in Look magazine, sums up exactly why we love Jantzen and all it’s vintage, vampy glory. Especially here in Portland, where the legendary local label was launched in 1910.
While no longer headquartered in PDX, we can still celebrate 100 Years of Timeless Glamour in the current Jantzen anniversary exhibit on display now through Friday, April 30 at The Art Institute of Portland Gallery. To celebrate a century of style, Jantzen has brought in its iconic 21-foot fiberglass Diving Girl to preside over the gallery all month. Visitors can browse glamorous vintage swimming suits and bathing caps from every era, and giggle over old advertisements featuring celebrities and fashion statements as they change through the decades.
“The Jantzen Archive is unique. There is no other archive like it,” said Jantzen archivist Carol Alhadeff. (That’s right, folks, Jantzen is so rich with history they have an offical archivist!) “It represents the history of swimwear as well as the history of visionary advertising. There is a century of textile innovation in our vintage garments to inspire our collections.”
As the brand enters its second century, the exhibit makes for fun fashion viewing and a neat Portland history lesson at once – not to mention a thorough look at the evolution of swimwear and fashion marketing.
You’ll learn how Jantzen was born out of downtown Portland as Portland Knitting Company in 1910, turning out wool suits (itch) for a rowing team on a few hand-knitting machines above a tiny retail store. Then follow along as they grow into Jantzen Knitting Mills in 1918, as the Diving Girl becomes an international icon in the ’20s, as movie stars begin wearing Jantzen in the ’30s, as the company survives World War II, thrives in the ’60s surf scene, makes adventurous ’80s statement suits, and finally stages a return to its current classic American glamour.
Win a Jantzen Heritage Collection Swimming Suit! Jantzen’s 2010 Heritage Collection swimming suits also are featured in the exhibit, so visitors can get a total picture of how far Jantzen has come and the direction they’re heading, plus it’s a chance to browse some gorgeous retro and modern styles they can buy for themselves today. One lucky Neat Sheet reader will win this ’50s inspired Jantzen Heritage ruffled one-piece swimming suit (right, retail value $120). To enter, just send an e-mail with the subject line “JANTZEN HERITAGE” to neatsheet@karenvitt.com or leave a comment on this post. We’ll pick a lucky random winner on Monday, May 10.
If you’re too excited to wait, you can also shop for Jantzen suits at neat local swimwear boutique Popina Swimwear, (4831 N.E. 42nd Ave.; 503-282-5159) where they have several styles of the vintage-inspired Jantzen Vamp Swimming Suits in stock. And be sure to visit Macy’s in downtown Portland (621 S.W. Fifth Ave.; 503-223-0512), where you’ll find all the latest Jantzen suits and can also view the entire Jantzen 2010 Heritage Collection on display in Macy’s front windows.
Happy birthday, Jantzen. See you at the beach.
Jantzen, 100 Years of Timeless Glamour
Through Friday, April 30
The Art Institute of Portland Gallery
1122 N.W. Davis St.; 503-228-6528
www.artinstitute-portland.com
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Love the suit, so glamourous!
Love that these styles are back!!!
i love the style so classy and glamorous!!
I want to be the girl in the ruffled one-piece bathing suit people admire for her good taste and understated elegance.
Really in love with the hot one piece!
I would LOVE one of these suits!
Yes please!
I have been a fan of Jantzen swimsuits for years and didn’t realize they had a page on facebook til recently nor had I realized that they had started in Portland. I lived there ten years ago and miss it very much. I wish they were giving away a trip there but would love to have that beautiful swimsuit none the less!
I’ve been admiring these in the windows at Macy’s! A classy swimsuit like that might actually make me more likely to hit the beach this summer.
I want that suit almost as much as I want a pony.
Oh my gosh soooooooooooooooooo cute!
i love the suit!
I wore Jantzen swimsuits since I was a pre-teen, and I’m a lot older now! They had the best fit for my figure, and I really did wear those swimcaps too! I’d love to have a great new swimsuit.
Love this bathing suit! So flattering.
Very cute!
i would love to own this swimsuit, it would suit my curves well
Wow, this was really neat to learn. I didn’t even know they have been around this long. Very cool. Would love to win a suit. Very cute too! Thanks for giving your readers this opportunity.
Great suits! I think I’ll see the exhibit tomorrow while I’m downtown.
I adore jantzen’s bathing costumes!
I’m not a tattoo kind of girl, but if I ever got inked, it would be the Jantzen diving girl. I’d definitely need the swimsuit to accompany it.
That bathing suit is too cute, I would love to win! Oh I can’t wait for summer!
Make me a vintage bomb shell! Love these suits. XOXO
As a vintage girl, I adore this line. I wear vintage clothing every day! I would love to win this suit! so wonderful! thanks for the give-away!
This bathing suit is adorable! I looove ruffles..please pick me for the winner!
Me likey! My mom worked for Jantzen for about 15 years. They’re such a Portland institution!
I would wear this out by itself! GAGA it!!! I want to win!
Great to see an update on a classic style!
LOVE this!!!
LOVE this suit! I too have been adoring the window display at Macy’s! I want it
I Love your swim suits! I want to be the Lucky random winner so much! For some reason if I am not then please give me a website address where I can purchase one of these fine glamorous suits =) Thanks….. I put my email address to the left of: website, in the pink horizontal box.
I would love a vintage ruffled swimsuit! I can definitely appreciate the vintage style.
popina has such great suits. and this jantzen one is gorgeous!
Cool suits!
What a fun suit!
LOVE retro inspired suits! Popina makes greats ones of their own as well. This one is just too cute.
I have the long, blonde hair…all I would need is the matching shoes!!
Oh this suit is great! I’d love to win it!
Ummm…YES PLEASE! I want to be a bathing beauty in one of these swimsuits! Beautiful!
This suit is pretty much awesome. Yes!
Timeless vintage glam. Love it!!
I am so excited these styles are back! They were, are and will ever be simply classic and divine!
Love the retro style – so flattering for a variety of women.
Oh, pick me pretty please! I love ruffles.
Love the retro look with the modern feel – and I definitely am built for the 50’s styles – I would love this suit!
I love it! everything old is new again!
Bought a suit at Popina when I moved to Portland-great store! I’ve lost weight & it no longer fits but I can’t afford to replace it now. If I win this new one, it would make 2 people happy…then I can find a new owner for mine!
Been looking for the perfect retro suit!
Love it!
so who won the fab ruffled suit?????