A Brief History

That Louis Reard had been influence by the nuclear testing is beyond doubt. The atomic explosion was front page fodder throughout the world. Consequently, by jumping on this news bandwagon, it gave the French designer a vital edge over rival Jacques Heim. To emphasis the chosen name, the prototype beach costume was even made from cotton fabric printed with newspaper text. Reard later pleaded that his creation was named after the atoll and not the nuclear devastation--a nice act of political correctness.

So the Bikini was born. Or was it? In 1943 the U.S. government, anxious to promote wartime thrift, had decreed that a 10 per cent reduction in fabric was needed when making women's swimwear. To achieve this goal, manufacturers took a slice from the garment's middle and exposed midriffs became the norm. However, the fashion neither caused much controversy nor persisted after the war. Perhaps, sacrificing a smidgen of dignity in the cause of patriotism is just not sexy enough.

Controversy awaited Louis Reard though. In fact, his bikini was so skimpy, being little more than 30 inches of cloth, that at the time no Parisian model would wear it. Hence, in order to hit the catwalks, Reard was forced to introduce Micheline Bernardini (a nude dancer at the Casino de Paris) to the public at large. Micheline duly performed and subsequently received over 50,000 fan letters. In it's turn, the bikini outshone the rival Atome, promoted by Jacques Heim as the "world's smallest bathing suit".

Worldwide reaction was instant. Contemporary comment described the two piece swimwear as revealing everything about a women except her maiden name. The garment was quickly banned in many Catholic countries. Hollywood was urged to keep the movies bikini free. Even Esther Williams, the swimming superstar, proffered: "A bikini is a thoughtless act." Later, American magazine "Modern Girl" proclaimed: "It is hardly necessary to waste words over the so-called bikini since it is inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency would ever wear such a thing." Reard countered the criticism with the marketing slogan that a two-piece suit wasn't a genuine bikini "unless it could be pulled through a wedding ring." It was all good for business.

Since those early days, the bikini has undergone many phases in its development. In 1951, bikinis, were seen as giving an unfair advantage to the wearer and were banned from beauty pageants. However, in 1957 the beautiful Brigitte Bardot placed her faith (along with her charms) in the bikini, starring in the European film "And God Created Woman."

In 1960, the bikini received another boost when American pop singer, Brian Hyland, immortalized the suit with his "Itsy-Bitsy-Teenie-Weenie-Yellow-Polka-Dot Bikini". The hit record triggering a bikini-buying spree among American teenagers. In 1963, the film "Beach Party" was the first major Hollywood production to dwell on the theme of pretty girls dancing around in bikinis. Six sequels followed this concept, notably the 1966 production of "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini."

In 1964, a rival, the monokini, emerged. This bra-less design has been credited to Rudi Gernreich. However, despite the Vatican denouncing the topless swimsuit, only about 3,000 costumes were sold in Europe during that summer season and the bikini remained predominant. During the 1970's, the tanga suit emerged from the shores of Rio and St. Tropez. Also known as the thong, the string bikini or the dental floss, this garment has generally proved too uncomfortable for the wearer and the bottom soon dropped out of the market. Today, this bikini derivative only seems to survive as a useful tool in the hands of the advertising media.

During the 1980's, the bikini's appeal seemed to be on the wane. Sales slumped to less than 33 per cent of the swimming costume market. In 1988, the inevitable happened and Reard's company closed down. At the time, it looked as though the bikini was doomed. The design desperately needed another explosive event to bring it back to the forefront of the public's attention.

During the 1990's, two such events have occurred. Firstly, the sport's bikini, a halter-top design, became the teenage vogue garment in 1993 America due to MTV and volleyball queen, Gabrielle Reece. Secondly, the "Baywatch" factor has kicked in. The overwhelming popularity of "Baywatch" has done much to resurrect the fortunes of the bikini. The creators of this mediocre television series have not just been exporting bland dribble to five continents, they have also been responsible for bikini saturation exposure. The skimpy design has now gained a worldwide, peak-viewing time audience in the world's most popular media. "Baywatch" babe, Gene Lee Nolin, has even hosted a film entitled "History of the Bikini", a documentary uncovering the swimwear sensation that scandalized the fashion world after its invention in 1946.

Today, technology has joined forces with the bikini. "Bikini" is one of the Internet's most popular search words and a new breed of surfer is now enjoying the view. Online, there is even a Bikini TV site that promises: "24 hour, 365 day per year, bikini-rich sponsored programming with 1/2 of all the profits funding education!"

But, what of the original Bikinian people who spawned the name, bikini? In the late 1950's, an agreement was signed between the Bikinians and the U.S. government. Full territorial rights to Bikini Atoll were restored to the Bikinians and the U.S. was protected against any future legal action or damages claims. In return, the U.S. government paid $25,000 in cash and an additional $300,000 into a trust fund which was designed to yield approximately $15 per person, per year to the Bikinians - today, not even enough to buy a two piece swimsuit!