1928 - 2017

The iconic Bondi swimwear the Speedo “Budgie Smuggler” changed beach fashion forever and was designed by Bronte resident Gloria Smythe. Her career began with a scholarship to East Sydney Technical College, where she taught weaving and printing in her final year because of staff shortages.

The position lasted for five years, until 1952, when Gloria travelled to London to visit design schools and fashion houses on a trip arranged by the British Council. Gloria liked what she saw and decided to stay. She joining Horrockes Fashions as patternmaker to head designer John Tullis and studied at the London School of Fashion. Among the outfits they created over the next four years were dresses for Queen Elizabeth’s Australian tour. Gloria’s designs were also features in Vogue magazine.

She returned to Australia in 1954 with her husband, English journalist and photographer Bernard Mortimer Dunn, and began teaching at East Sydney Technical College again, writing four books on pattern design. In 1962 she joined Speedo as its sole designer and two years later produced an innovative Australian swimwear collection - a complicated mix of six separate fabric pieces - for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Gloria’s knowledge of hydrodynamic fabrics gained in London helped her design costumes that improved speed through the water. She also pioneered the use of fabrics including nylon, Lycra and ‘paper’ (a Lycra/nylon mix) in swimwear.

Her design for Australia’s 1976 Montreal Olympic men’s swim team was the most controversial. The brief 5cm trunks, now known as ‘budgie smugglers’, caused uproar but became international best-sellers. ‘It took quite a while before I was allowed to do anything that skimpy again. I am proud my two-inch trunks have become an Australian icon,” Gloria said. Speedo quickly became the swimsuit of choice for competitive swimmers.

Gloria also introduced fashion to swimming, printing on nylon fabrics and using patterns and colours. Australia’s swimsuits for the World Championships in Perth in 1991 were her last designs for Speedo after 29 years. Her collection is now held in the Powerhouse Museum. She was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 2009 for service to the arts and swimming as a designer, teacher and author.

Courtesy Waverley Library Local Studies Collection.