The Speedo boomerang logo

Speedo is a swimsuit manufacturer that began on Bondi Beach near Sydney, Australia. Speedo is currently the world's largest selling swimwear brand and manufactures products for both recreational and competitive swimming. Its trademark is a red boomerang-shaped logo. This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... A logotype (from the Greek λογότυπο), commonly known as a logo, is the graphic element, symbol, and icon of a trademark or brand, which is set in a special typeface or arranged in a particular way. ... It has been suggested that Monokini be merged into this article or section. ... Bondi Beach Bondi Beach (with a long i) is a hugely popular beach and suburb of Sydney, Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Womans bathing suit, 1920s, USA A swimsuit (also swimmers), bathing suit (also bathers) or swimming costume (sometimes shortened to cozzie) is an item of clothing designed to be worn for swimming. ... A brand is a collection of images and ideas representing an economic producer; more specifically, it refers to the concrete symbols such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme. ... Swimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water. ... A typical wooden returning boomerang A boomerang is a simple wooden implement used for various purposes. ...

Today the company is headquartered in Nottingham and is owned by the London based Pentland group . Nottingham is a city (and county town of Nottinghamshire) in the East Midlands of England. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

History

The company was founded in 1914 by hosiery manufacturer Alexander MacRae as MacRae Knitting Mills in an effort to expand his company into swimwear. In 1928 the name Speedo was first adopted after the firm developed its racerback design of swimwear making it one of the first manufacturers to specifically produce athletic designs. The name was made up by a Captain Jim Parsons who won a company competition with the slogan "Speed on in your Speedos." 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Hosiery describes undergarments worn directly on the feet and legs. ... Alexander MacRae - Entrepreneur and clothing manufacturer born ca. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Racerback is a type of womens swimsuit design common today among competitive swimwear and incorporated into some types of womens clothing. ...

During World War II the manufacturer shifted nearly all of its production to war materials such as mosquito nets. Speedo resumed production after the war and became a publicly traded corporation in 1951. In 1955 Speedo introduced nylon into its fabric for competitive swimwear. The 1956 Olympics in Melbourne saw the widespread debut of the new fabric and the introduction of the style of men's briefs that has become associated with the brand. World renown Australian designer and ceramics artist, Peter Travis, designed some of the most famous and timeless designs for Speedo from 1960-62. The company quickly expanded into the international arena from there until the present, boasting that 70 percent of swimming medals were won by athletes wearing its products in the Olympic Games of 1968, 1972, and 1976. This article is becoming very long. ... A corporation is a legal person which, while being composed of natural persons, exists completely separately from them. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nylon represents a family of synthetic polymers, a thermoplastic material, first produced on 28 February, 1935 by Dr. Wallace Carothers and his research group at DuPont. ... There were two Olympic Games in the year 1956. ... Melbourne (pronounced either or [1]) is the state capital and largest city in Victoria, Australia, and the nations second-largest city, with a population of approximately 3. ... A pair of mens briefs Briefs are a type of Y-shaped mens underwear and swimwear. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

During the 1970's and 80's new fabrics such as lycra were incorporated into the company's swimwear design. During the late 1990's the company turned its attention to its aquablade and fastskin product lines of competitive swimwear. The designs employ new fabrics that the company claims will reduce resistance in the water by replicating biological skin characteristics of various marine animals such as sharks. Lycra is INVISTAs trademark for a synthetic polyurethane-based elastane textile with elastic properties of the sort known generically as spandex. As with other spandex materials, Lycra is commonly used in athletic or active clothing, such as clothes for cycling, swimwear, leotards and dancewear, as well as in underclothes. ... Aquablade was the beginning of the high-tech line of suits that Speedo now offers today. ... Fastskin is a highly advanced competition swimsuit that dramatically reduces the surface drag of the wearer. ... Orders see text Sharks are a group (superorder Selachimorpha) of fish, with a full cartilaginous skeleton, a streamlined body plan with between 5 and 7 gill slits along the sides (most often) or side of the head (the first modified slit is behind the eye and called a spiracle), dermal...

Though it still manufactures the traditional briefs, jammers and racerback designs that made the company famous, Speedo's latest competitive swimwear designs incorporate suits that provide greater coverage to the arms, legs, and even full body for their top end lineup. Their high-end suits often sell for in excess of $300 (in US Dollars) for the Fastskin 2 series. The company also continues to manufacture recreational swimwear, goggles, earplugs, swim caps, towels, robes, sportswear and other logo clothing, watches, sandals, beach volleyball and triathlon products, lifeguard gear, and training supplies for competitive and recreational swimmers. ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 3. ... Fastskin 2, also called FSII, is the more advanced version of the original Speedo Fastskin, and is hailed, by Speedo at least, as the most advanced competitive swimsuit on the planet. ... Watersport goggles Blowtorching goggles and safety helmet Goggles and safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to prevent particulates or chemicals from striking the eyes. ... A swim cap is a silicone or latex covering worn on the head by recreational and competitive swimmers. ... Sportswear is clothing, including footwear, worn for sport or exercise. ... A logotype (from the Greek λογότυπο), commonly known as a logo, is the graphic element, symbol, and icon of a trademark or brand, which is set in a special typeface or arranged in a particular way. ... A beach volleyball game in progress Beach volleyball in Vancouver Beach volleyball has evolved from the popular social games of volleyball played on many beaches around the world. ... A triathlon is an athletic event made up of three contests (from the Greek). ... The modern lifeguard profession originated in Australia in 1906 and in the most general sense of the word is defined as an emergency service worker, who is a qualified strong swimmer, trained and certified in water rescue, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); who is responsible for overseeing the safety...

Australians have long enjoyed and even laughed at the Speedo as a piece of swimwear and the lack of modesty that it provides. Slang terms for the men's Speedo include "budgie smugglers" and "banana hammocks".

Athletes

Some athletes who have been sponsored by the Speedo brand include Megan Jendrick, Greg Louganis, Janet Evans, Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Amanda Beard, Dawn Fraser, and Kosuke Kitajima. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Megan Quann. ... Greg Louganis (center) on the cover of Newsweek of August 20, 1984. ... Janet Beth Evans (born August 28, 1971) is a record-breaking American competitive swimmer. ... Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American swimmer and world-record holder (as of 2006). ... Natalie Coughlin (center, with hands on head) at the 2004 Summer Olympics. ... Amanda Beard in 2004 Summer Olympics uniform Amanda Ray Beard (Irvine, California, October 29, 1981) is an American Olympic swimmer. ... Dawn Lorraine Fraser, AO, MBE, (born September 4, 1937) is an Australian champion swimmer. ... Kosuke Kitajima on a Japanese book about swimming training Kosuke Kitajima (北島康介: Kitajima Kōsuke, September 22, 1982, Tokyo) is a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. ...

External links

• Speedo corporate site
• Order Speedo Products Online