Maryssa Dennis Submission for BYU Magazine’s “Out of the Blue” Picture of the Rose Marie Reid exhibit in Special Collections at the Harold B. Lee Library or a historical photograph of Rose Marie Reid working on a bathing suit Glamor by Design The January air is frigid outside the Harold B. Lee Library, but inside lies the heat of California beach glamour. In August 2015, L. Tom Perry Special Collections opened an exhibit to showcase the fashion of LDS swimsuit designer Rose Marie Reid. Reid made a splash in 1936 when she created some of the first swimwear to use elasticized fabric. The popularity of her women’s swim line skyrocketed, but Reid never let her fame compromise her faith. Despite increasing pressure to produce bikinis, Reid left her business in 1963 so she wouldn’t be forced to design an immodest swimsuit. Later, she was asked to design a new temple garment, which she considered a great honor. The Rose Marie Reid: Glamour by Design exhibit will be open for visitors in L. Tom Perry Special Collections through June 2016.
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