Robin Piccone

Robin Piccone is an American fashion designer known for pioneering the use of neoprene in her scuba style swimwear under the Body Glove label. Robin Piccone is often affectionately called the “Queen of Neoprene” due to her pioneering work with the material in swimwear design.

Early life

Piccone, who was raised in Los Angeles, California, developed a passion for design from a young age. She attended Beverly Vista elementary school and graduated from Beverly Hills High School before enrolling at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, where she graduated with honors, winning 5 out of six gold thimbles and one silver. Her designs quickly gained popularity and a devoted following. In 1985, she established her own company at the age of 24 in her garage in Venice, California.

Body Glove

In 1986, Piccone partnered with Body Glove, becoming one of the first designers to secure a licensing agreement with the established wetsuit manufacturer. Piccone played a key role in transforming neoprene - a synthetic rubber traditionally associated with wetsuits, scuba diving, and surfing - into a fashionable material.

Guess

In 1994, after introducing neoprene to fashion under the Body Glove label, Piccone established her own swimwear and sportswear company, Piccone Apparel. During the award presentation, she showcased a model wearing a hot-pink tank swimsuit emblazoned with the slogan "Keep Our Water Clean" across the chest. The ensemble was complemented by a mesh beach coat cover-up, which was constructed from plastic six-pack rings adorned with hypodermic needles. While Piccone's primary intention was to make a bold environmental statement, she acknowledged the long-term benefits of her advocacy. Piccone explained that her involvement pays off in the long run, as the condition of the state’s beaches and lakes directly affects her business, in addition to the concern for her son’s future.

Piccone is an active member of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). She actively engages in community involvement and contributes to fundraising projects for pediatric AIDS research at the City of Hope National Medical Center.

Piccones swimwear is in the permanent collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Her innovative use of neoprene fabric resulted in the exhibition of two of her original neoprene suits and a mini skirt.