How the bikini wrote … so long story
Bikini, almost invisible but irresistibly influential, is not just a swimsuit – it’s a cultural revolution that changed forever fashionthe body and the image itself in the public sphere.
From its first appearance in 1946 in the Paris Molitore pool, the bikini has caused scandals, bans, worship and, ultimately, global acceptance.
Its story is full of emblematic moments, branded museums, cinematic memories and social struggles – a story that proves that a few centimeters can shake the waters of an entire era.
The bikini economy today is just as impressive as its cultural influence.
According to recent data from the Global Industry Analysts, the world bikini and swimsuit market exceeds $ 20 billion a year, with a bikini holding the largest share of women’s swimsuits sales.
In the US alone, the bikini represents more than 25% of total swimwear sales, while thousands of new designs from luxury houses, sports brands and independent designers are released each year.
The rise of e-commerce and social media has launched demand, with influencers and celebrities turning every new plan into a global trend within a few hours.
Despite the occasional controversy, censorships and disputes, the bikini remains unquestionable for summer fashion, a symbol of self -confidence and freedom.
In 2024, the value of the bikini market is estimated to exceed $ 811 million in Europe alone, while analysts provide further increase thanks to sustainable fashion, inclusive sizes and innovative design approaches.
Whatever the future brings, one is certain: the bikini is not just a trend. It is a timeless fashion statement, a billion industry and – above all – a small revolution that continues to write history every summer on every beach in the world.
On the occasion of 79 years since the first time introduced to the world, the Independent made a brief look at this fabric that the late fashion editor Diana Vrilland has defined as « the most important thing after the discovery of the atomic bomb ».
From its birth in the 1940s to its modern versions, the bikini route reflects the evolution of social patterns and the timeless power of a small piece of fabric and this is its evolution.
Bikini’s story begins in the mid -19th century, when the elite of sea baths on the coast of Normandy and Biaridge was wearing a swimsuit that covered the body with modesty. However, in the summer of 1946 it marked a radical change in swimwear fashion, which would forever change the image of the female body and the social perception of it.
In the 1930s, European beaches appeared the first two -piece swimsuits, consisting of a captain and shorts. Although they left a small portion of the waist exposed, the insane remained covered, maintaining a limit on what was considered acceptable.
In the United States, the decade of World War II brought restrictions on the amount of fabric due to shortages, leading to more swimwear versions, but without questioning modesty.
After the war, Europe was experiencing a period of reconstruction and liberation. In 1946, two French designers, Jacques Haim and Louis Rear, each presented his own version of a pioneering swimsuit of two pieces.
Haim named his own « person », advertising it as « the smallest swimsuit in the world ». However, Rear’s swimsuit was even more bold and simpler: a bra and two small fabric triangles joined with a cord, leaving the belly completely uncovered. He promoted it as « smaller than the smallest swimsuit in the world ».
Rear’s bikini presentation was not an easy task. No model agreed to wear such a revealing garment, so she chose Miselin Bernandini, a bold Parisian and dancer at the Paris Casino, who had no hesitation to appear almost naked.
On July 5, 1946, in the Paris Molter pool, Bernandini wore the bikini, which was printed with excerpts from letters of fans, as a hint at the noise it would cause.
The bikini boldly revealed the belly button, a part of the body that was then considered too personal and symbolically linked to maternity, so inappropriate for public exposure.
The new creation was packaged in a tiny metal cube, just six inches width, and was advertised as « the first anatomical bomb », ready to overthrow the Puritan ethics of the time.
Bikini’s first public presentation caused shock and reactions, as the garment challenged the seals between modesty and revealing and brought division and reactions.
The bikini was banned in public beaches and beauty contests, and was considered provocative and inappropriate for public use.
However, the appearance of Brigitte Bardot on the Cannes beaches in 1953 and the spread of bikini through the 1960s cinema and music – such as the song Itsy Bitsy Weenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini that became unexpected success and a call for acceptance – contributed to this Revolution and sexual liberation.
Its evolution has refined social changes and the revision of moral patterns. From the « smallest swimsuit of the world » that caused a scandal, the bikini turned into a fashion statement that challenged patriarchal norms and reinforced female self -determination.
His acceptance was linked to the change of posture towards body, sexuality and personal freedom, deeply affecting fashion and social culture and bikini, no matter how small it was, he had enormous effects by paving the way for a more open and free expression.
The bold invention was not just a new fashion -it was a small revolution that changed the image of the woman and her social status forever.
In the 1960s, the bikini continued to gain popularity, though on some European beaches it remained forbidden. But Hollywood would not allow that.
In James Bond’s film, Dr. No, 1962, Ursula Men came out of the sea wearing the flagship white bikini in a belt, creating an anthology scene that remained in history.
The scene was set by Channel 4 as the top bikini moment in the history of cinema, while in 2001 the bikini was sold at auction for $ 61,500. Criticist Martin Rubin described it as « a key moment in the liberalization of erotic depiction in the 1960s ».
In the same year, Lion was lying on the grass with a floral bikini in the film Lolita, while Rakel Wells wore the primitive, fur bikini for a million years BC. 1966. These unforgettable cinematic moments contributed significantly to the spread of bikini worldwide.
In France, however, the bikini was fully established in 1968, when the social uprising and the rise of feminism changed the rules of female dressing and its importance.
The bikini was no longer just a revealing swimsuit, but a distinctive act of questioning: a way for women to claim their bodies, reject the outdated boundaries of modesty and move freely – either when they swim, or when they do sunbathing or when they just want them. What was once a scandal evolved into a symbol of liberation.
In the 1980s, the bikini was 20% of swimwear sales in the US, more than any other plan. However, with the rise of awareness of skin cancer, sales of apocalyptic bikini has declined significantly.
Suddenly, full -length swimsuit became fashionable. At the same time, variations such as Tankini and Camikini appeared, with a long top covering the belly and reached the bones of the basin.
Pamela Anderson of Baywatch and Sports Illustrated’s Cindy Crawford became fashion icons, wearing a deep neckline and tall.
Bikini like luxury
In the 1990s, fashion became simpler and swimsuits were identified with the 80s athletic style – but the bikini returned vigorously.
This time, big fashion houses turned the bikini into a luxury statement. In 1996, Chanel was even further decorated and decorated it with its characteristic logo, presenting it on the runway with Stella Tenand.
The following year, Tom Ford at Gucci presented an almost non -existent Ombré thong bikini with a metallic g designed for all sexes and made to catch the eye. Betting and uplifting had been won.
Today the bikini remains a controversial garment, still censor in some cases.
In 2013, an ad with Pamela Anderson dancing in a bikini was banned by the British Authority of Advertising Standards as offensive for women.
In the same year, the University of Cambridge banned the Wyverns Club of Magdalene College from organizing the annual jelly and bikini wrestling competition.
However, as designers become more and more inclusive, experimenting with fabrics, forms, designs and patterns, the bikini seems to be going through its golden age.
A symbol of liberation and freedom, the bikini remains one of the most popular sectors of fashion industry, with a value exceeding $ 811 million.
Whatever his next dive, the fabric will dry by enjoying his small, loud, wins.
