

Catalina swimwear is made for women who’d rather spend their energy chasing ocean waves or busy kids than fleeting trends. From weekend splashing in a backyard pool to summer vacations at the lake or beach, our swimwear collections bring easy style and enduring comfort to the occasion.
Our suits, separates, and cover-ups are designed with mix-and-match versatility in mind. And with every fresh, colorful addition to your swimwear wardrobe, Catalina gives you even more ways to feel amazing — whether you’re destined for relaxation, recreation, celebration, or all of the above.
Founded in 1907 as a small Southern California knitting mill, our original knitwear artisans specialized in sweaters and underwear. Just a few years later, in 1912, the growing popularity of one-piece swimsuits prompted us to expand our offerings to include sleek, comfortable swimwear. The reimagined product line offered stylishly practical designs as a welcome departure from the cumbersome Victorian swim skirts and bloomers of the late 19th century — and our designers never stopped exploring new styles, fabrics, and silhouettes to stay in step with customer tastes.
As the Roaring ’20s came to a close, our groundbreaking designs continued to elevate swimwear from basic apparel to breathtaking statements in glamour. And in 1928, we evolved our identity to capture the allure and mystique of the Hollywood lifestyle. We chose the name Catalina Knitting Mills as a nod to the legendary island just 22 miles off the Los Angeles coast that had become a playground for the stars. The Catalina brand soon became synonymous with silver screen stars like Ginger Rogers, Joan Crawford, and Marilyn Monroe, who modeled our styles. Catalina also gained widespread notoriety in the 1940s as the original swimsuit sponsor of the Miss America pageant, and later as the creators and sponsors of the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe pageants. These high-profile sponsorships endured for decades, giving Catalina a place of prominence in the industry that allowed us to consistently attract top-notch design talent.
Throughout the decades, innovative designers like Milo Anderson, Lee Hogan Cass, Gustave Tassell, and many others experimented with a range of fabrics and styles to make expertly crafted swimwear accessible to customers everywhere. From midcentury bursts of geometric color to ’70s lace, ’80s metallics, ’90s mesh, and the eclectic influences of the 2000s and beyond, our designs have always embodied comfort, confidence, and an air of adventure.
Even as styles and tastes continue to change, Catalina remains at the forefront of the swimwear market, moving beyond basic designs to create playfully glamourous suits made for fun in the sun.