The bikini, today a symbol of freedom and fashion, has a surprisingly recent origin and a history full of transformations. This swimming costume revolutionised beachwear and played a key role in the evolution of social mores. Let’s take a look at how the bikini came into being and some interesting facts that have made it one of the most popular trends of the summer.
Bikini, an explosive name
The bikini owes its name to an explosive event. Louis Réard, the engineer turned fashion designer who invented the bikini, presented it to the world on 5 July 1946. He chose the name ‘bikini’ in honour of the Bikini atoll in the Marshall Islands, where nuclear tests had been conducted only a few days earlier. Réard hoped that his new swimming costume would be just as ‘explosive’ and revolutionary, and he was not wrong!
The First Bikini is by a Stripper
When Louis Réard sought a model to model his new swimming costume, no professional model accepted the challenge. So, Réard turned to Micheline Bernardini, a stripper at the Casino de Paris. Bernardini not only accepted, but wore the bikini with ease, attracting the attention of the media and the public. As a tribute to her audacity, she received over 50,000 fan letters.
The banned swimming costume
Despite its sensational debut, the bikini was initially banned in several places. In the 1950s, many public beaches and swimming pools in the USA, Italy and Spain banned the use of this swimming costume, considering it too scandalous. In Italy, the Vatican openly condemned it, labelling it immoral.
The bikini and the cinema
The cinema played a crucial role in the acceptance of the bikini. One of the most iconic scenes was that of Ursula Andress in ‘Agent 007 – Licence to Kill’ in 1962. Andress, in her white bikini, became an icon of style and sensuality, making the bikini a must-have for many women. This scene is still considered one of the most memorable in film history.
The bikini and the fashion world
The bikini has inspired a myriad of designers to create ever more innovative and daring versions. In the 1970s, Rudi Gernreich introduced the monokini, a swimming costume that covered only the lower part of the body, causing even more of a stir. Today, the bikini is an essential garment in the swimwear collections of all major designers, with versions ranging from minimalist to luxurious.
The bikini, this small but mighty swimming costume, has a fascinating history full of curiosity. From its controversial birth in 1946 to the catwalks of the greatest designers, the bikini has proved to be much more than just a garment. It is a symbol of change, emancipation and style that continues to evolve and surprise. With these fun curiosities, the bikini proves that it is not only a fashion item, but also an intriguing part of our popular culture.
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