Every year on July 5, the world observes International Bikini Day as French designer Louis Réard unveiled the first-ever bikini on this day in 1946.
Summer in 1946 was a season of freedom in the French capital as Europe had just emerged from World War II when designer Louis Reard designed the world’s smallest suit for woman and named it ‘Bikini’.
Another designer Jacques Heim developed a competing sample which he named as ‘atom’ and advertised as ‘the world’s smallest bathing suit.’
Historians claimed that the two-piece clothing was named after the Bikini Atoll – where the US carried out nuclear tests. However, as the world relates the creation of this dress in 1946, some evidence disclosed little evidence prior to the 1930s.
Some reports suggest that initially, the designer failed to find a model who dared to don the smallest two-piece swimwear in public. Later, a casino dancer, Micheline Bernardini dared wearing it. The 19-year-old Bernardini was pictured in a Paris swimming pool, in which she donned the swimsuit which sparked a revolution and now the shortest clothing for women is a summer staple in part of the world.
The daring of the young model garnered a huge fan following as she received whopping 50,000 fan letters from the bikini’s debut at the Piscine Molitor while most of the letters were from men who hailed her.
The poolside appearance in Bikini made waves around the country and many at that time relate it with liberation for women, but also a symbol of freedom – at the end of World War II.
Soon after the arrival of the new ‘liberal’ dress, which was hardly 30 inches in size, women across France, Italy, and Spain were quick enough to adopt it while the authorities also took action as it got banned months after its release.
The prohibition didn’t continue and there was no stopping the skimpy garment from taking off after that.
Hollywood in the late 50s also contributed to making the shortest swimwear a quick hit as a number of movies included scenes of women sunbathing besides wearing Bikini. Later, the Bond franchise helped the clothing acceptance due to its major fan following at that time.
In the year 1996, Beach volleyball became an Olympic sport due to its popularity which stemmed from athletes wearing minimalist clothing. Up until 2012, when women volleyball players were permitted to wear anything they want.
Interestingly, Dr. No’s bikini was sold for a huge $50,000 in the auction while Susan Rosen holds the record of designing the classiest bikini which was made of 150 carats diamond set in platinum.
