Catalina was started in 1907 as an obscure knitting mill and evolved to becoming a world-wide swimwear manufacturer. They were a pioneer in the California swim and sportswear industry featuring trendy styling which allowed customers to feel stylish and comfortable.
Catalina's ads expressed an image of carefree and casual California lifestyles.
Their labels evolved over the years, usually depicting
their stylish Flying Fish soaring through the thumb hole of an artist's paint pallet board. The words "a California Creator" are also added to this 1950's label.
Catalina, like many mainland sportswear manufacturers, drew on inspiration from Hawaii and created tasteful all-over, border and back panel designs during this "Golden Era" of printed shirts often displaying Hawaii and South Pacific themes.
