Bikini

The bikini swimsuit is considered one of the greatest fashion innovations of all time. It is the most popular form of clothing around the world. It is perhaps the only piece of clothing which has also caused quite much controversy. The bikini was named after Bikini Atoll, the site for testing nuclear weapons in Marshall Islands. The name is justified because the fervour and excitement that it created was comparable to the explosion of a nuclear device.

Louis Reard, an automobile engineer invented the bikini. He had taken over his mother’s lingerie boutique in Paris. His rival designer was, Jacques Heim. Heim and Reard were competing to create the world’s smallest swimsuit. Heim created a one-piece swimsuit, what he termed the atom. In 1946, Reard outdid him and introduced the bikini, an even smaller version of the swimsuit. It was made out of only 30 inches of fabric. He rightly called it ’smaller than the world’s smallest bathing suit’. Louis Reard then designed a string bikini with newspaper print for a fashion show, at Piscine Molitor. Piscine Molitor was a famous public pool. He couldn’t find a professional model that was willing to wear his scandalous and sexy bikini. He finally managed to persuade Michelinne Bernardini, a nude dancer from the Casino de Royale in Paris. The bikini was revealed on the 5th of July at the fashion event. It proved to be a hit and Bernardini received around 50,000 fan letters. It is needless to say that the men especially appreciated the bikini. What the people could not accept in the bikini was that it showed the navel, which was considered indecent and provocative in those days. Heim had also stated that though his swimsuits were small, they still covered the navel.

Countries like Spain and Italy banned the bikini and the Vatican considered it immoral. But the bikini managed to be worn on. Bikini swimwear was popularised by famous celebrities like Brigitte Bardot and Jayne Mansfield. The bikini was a relief for European women whose beachwear consisted of halter-tops and shorts. They often rolled up their sleeves for a better tan.

Since then the bikinis has gone through many changes in terms of style. Different patterns, embellishments and plummeting waistlines etc. were introduced. Tankini a swimsuit that is a combination of a tank top and a bikini bottom is available for the less courageous. It is said that there is a bikini for everybody. Some bikinis are designed in particular ways to cover specific flaws and draw attention to other areas. Today, there are bikini shops in many places. There are websites that cater only to women’s bikinis. Women in the U.K spend about £45 million on bikinis every year. Women in the U.S buy bikinis by the dozen and in France bikinis constitute 50% of the swimwear. The bikini has also become the official uniform for women’s beach volleyball in the Olympics.

Today, the bikini woman stands for confidence, sensuality and definitely a great body. The bikini also signifies warm summer days, beaches, fun and relaxation. But most of all, the bikini has been and still is a symbol of freedom. The bikini is rightly associated with the emancipation of women.