Rose Marie Reid
| Rose Marie Reid | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 12, 1906 Cardston, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | December 16, 1978 (aged 72) Provo Utah, United States |
| Occupation | Swimsuit Designer |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children |
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Rose Marie Reid, born Rose Marie Yancey (September 12, 1906 in Cardston, Alberta, Canada – December 16, 1978 in Provo, Utah, United States), was a Canadian-born American swimsuit designer who was extremely popular and successful in the 1940s-60s. Reid believed that every woman should feel just as glamorous in a swimsuit as she did in an evening gown, and she designed her suits accordingly.
Rose Marie Yancey was born to William Elvie Yancey Sr. and Marie Hyde Yancey on September 12, 1906 in Cardston, Alberta, Canada. Her mother taught her to sew. In 1916, her family moved to a farm in Weiser, Idaho. In 1925, she purchased a beauty salon in Oregon. Shortly after, she married Gareth Rhynhart, a traveling artist. They divorced in 1935.
Reid moved to Vancouver, British Columbia following her divorce. Reid married Jack Crossman Reid on November 30, 1935. She had three children with him, Bruce Alan Reid (1937-2015), Sharon Reid Alden (1938), and Carole Marie Reid Burr (1940). Due to infidelity and abuse, Reid ended her marriage to Jack on April 10, 1946. The divorce helped precipitate her large business move to California in 1949.
Reid began her swimsuit designing career in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She was inspired to design swimsuits by the fact that her husband, Jack, complained about the material and comfort of his swimwear. Her design business began in 1936 with Reid's Holiday Togs, Ltd. Lacing up both sides was typical of her earliest swimsuits and a 1938 example is preserved at the New Westminster Museum and Archives in Canada (Artifact # IH 994.76.68) [1]. In her first year of business, Reid employed 16 employees, grossed $10,000 and designed only six suits.
On September 20, 1946, Reid launched her American business, Rose Marie Reid, Inc. However, she still maintained her Canadian business. By 1946, 50% of the swimsuits sold in Canada were her designs. Her swimsuits dominated the American market and were popular in Western Europe, South America, and Australia. After starting her American business, Reid lived in her Los Angeles factory until she purchased a home in Brentwood, California in 1949.
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