The string bikini: from sin to swim style stardom

For such a small garment, the string bikini has made a big impact on swimwear fashion. First appearing in 1946, the bikini caused riots and arrests before triumphing as the timeless style icon it is today. Here we look at the bikini’s sensational history, including the two Australian women who championed its victory.

Relaxed Ancient Romans

The first known bikini style garment appeared in the famous Roman mosaic, The Coronation of the Winner. It depicts ancient Roman sportswomen in small, two piece outfits - well before modern Western ideals about female modesty took hold.

Bikini style garments worn by sportswomen of Ancient Rome in the early 4th century AD mosaic, The Coronation of the Winner. The mosaic is also known as 'The Bikini Mosaic.' — Women of ancient Rome in bikini style athletic costumes in *Coronation of the Winner*, early 4th century AD. Source: worldhistory.org

Modest bathing (aka how to ruin a good swim)

Circa 1829, women wore radically different outfits to their bikini-clad ancient sisters. Long, cumbersome robes were the order of the day, with some opting for the extra modesty of floating, horse-drawn swimming huts.

Before the string bikini first officially appeared. William Heath's 19th century print titled Women swimming in the Sea shows women swimming in long robes in Brighton, UK. It shows how different swimwear fashion was then compared to now. — Women in 19th century Britain took their modesty seriously, as depicted in *Women swimming in the sea at Brighton* by William Heath. Source: British Museum

Aussie Swimsuit Rebel

Australian swimming legend and silent film star, Annette Kellerman, rebelled against conservative Victorian norms with her self designed, figure hugging swimsuit. Although one piece, it was controversial and saw her arrested for indecent exposure. The fitted one piece suit caught on, thanks to the rise of competitive swimming and Kellerman’s fame as a 1912 Olympics swimming champion, English Channel crosser and silent film star.

A few decades before the string bikini launched in Paris, Australian swim star Annette Kellerman rebelled with her own figure hugging one piece costume. It was seen as controversial at the time. — Australian swim legend Annette Kellerman pioneered women’s swimwear with her controversial body con swim costume. Source: Wikipedia

The Bikini is Born

In 1946, fashion designer Jacques Heim launched a tiny two-piece design named ‘Atome,’ after the smallest known particle of matter. The same year, mechanical engineer Louis Réard revealed an even skimpier two piece called ‘Bikini,’ after Bikini Atoll island, site of the first nuclear tests. This first iteration of the string bikini certainly caused a reaction, prompting riots and arrests. It even has its own spot on the calendar, with Bikini Day marked annually on July 5th.

The string bikini makes its first official appearance in Paris, 1946. The black and white image shows Louis Reard's Bikini design modelled by nude dancer, Micheline Bernardini. — The first official ‘Bikini’ was modelled by nude dancer, Micheline Bernardini, the only woman game enough to at the time. Source: Getty Images

Bikini Queen of Australia

Meanwhile, Australia’s own bikini pioneer - Paula Stafford OAM - was doing a roaring trade designing and selling bikinis from her Gold Coast shop. When beach inspectors controversially asked a model in a Paula Stafford bikini to leave Surfers Paradise beach, sales soared and even went international. Stafford was later recognised for her achievements with an Order of Australia medal and induction to the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.

Bikini pioneer of Australia, Paula Stafford, in a black and white photograph discussing swimwear with a model wearing one of her bikini designs.fabric — Paula Stafford AOM, Australia’s pioneer of the bikini chats with a model wearing one of her designs. Source: Queensland State Archives

Battle of the Bikini

During the 1950s and early 60s, the string bikini remained controversial and most women wore a standard two piece. Pope Pius XII condemned the bikini as sinful, and it was banned in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, Australia and parts of the US. Inspectors at Bondi Beach frequently forced bikini-clad women to get changed or leave the beach, issuing fines and arrests.

The string bikini was controversial, as referenced in this image of Les Tanner's 1961 cartoon of an overweight, shirtless man telling an attractive woman in a bikini, "Get off the beach, you're obscene!" — “Get off the beach, you’re obscene!” Cartoon by Les Tanner in *The Bulletin*, October 1961. Source: Waverley Council

Bikini Victory

The bikini was first propelled into the swimwear style stratosphere by Brigitte Bardot’s bombshell moment at Cannes Film Festival, followed by actresses Marilyn Monroe, Ursula Andress, and Raquel Welch. It grew to become a symbol of female power during the cultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, as women rejected control over their bodies and being told what to wear.

Ursula Andress helped propel the bikini to stardom as Honey Ryder in the 1962 James Bond film, *Dr No.* Source: Getty Images

The Bikini: History’s Most Iconic Swimsuit

To this day, the string bikini and all its modern forms - clasp straps, bandeau and one shoulder styles - are the swimsuits of choice for women around the world. Despite tough beginnings, the bikini has marked its place as a timeless style icon

History of the String Bikini