What is the history of Speedo?
Speedo is a swimwear brand that began in Sydney in 1914 as MacRae Knitting Mills, founded by Scottish-born Alexander MacRae. It adopted the Speedo name in 1928 and became a global swimwear leader.
MacRae first made underwear and then moved into swimwear as beach culture grew in Sydney. In 1928, the slogan Speed on in your Speedos gave the company its brand name.
Speedo introduced the Racerback swimsuit in 1928, a design that left the shoulder blades free so swimmers could move their arms more easily. It was considered daring at the time.
Olympic history
Speedo swimsuits have been worn by many Olympic champions. At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Australian swimmers wore Speedo, and the company later developed technical racing suits.
In 2008, the LZR Racer suit, developed with NASA, helped swimmers break dozens of world records. These high-tech suits were later restricted by swimming's governing body.
Speedo is now owned by a British-based company but remains closely linked to Australia. In Australia, men's swimming briefs are often called Speedos, whatever the brand.
Did You Know?
Speedo's boomerang-shaped logo is one of the best-known symbols in swimwear.