Anne Cole
Anne Cole is an American swimwear brand most known for the invention of the tankini swimsuit. The brand's namesake founder, Anne Cole, invented the tankini. The swimwear company was originally a division within Cole of California, a knitwear company founded by Cole's father, Fred Cole. Anne Cole began to work for Cole of California in sales and marketing in 1951. During that era, the brand attracted celebrities such as Esther Williams, Elizabeth Taylor, and Marilyn Monroe. In 1982, after decades of designing women's swimsuits, Anne Cole created her own eponymous swimwear brand, Anne Cole Swimwear