Made in Miami: The Development of the Sportswear Industry in South Florida, 1900-1960

Abstract

In a span of 50 years, sportswear in South Florida evolved from the idiosyncratic daywear of elite Northerners vacationing in Palm Beach to a nationally visible industry. This paper presents three stages in the evolution of the sportswear industry in South Florida in general and in the Miami area in particular. The first stage (c.1900-1920) relates to the founding of Palm Beach and the growth of an American market for a blossoming French industry. The second stage (c. 1920-1945) explores how a confluence of economic, social and cultural trends following World War One spurred rapid growth in Miami and gave rise to a completely new genre of clothing—one designed by Americans for Americans. The third stage (c. 1945-1960) explores how South Florida became a major producer of the very clothing it was instrumental in popularizing. Ironically, this crucial third stage was propelled by the same groups the original founders of the area sought to exclude—Jews and minorities. The interplay between South Florida and sportswear is not simply a nuanced study of a specific place and time. Rather, the evolution of the industry drastically redefined the American wardrobe. This analysis demonstrates how the study of clothing can inform our understanding of social change by adding texture and tangibility to American history.