July 5, 2012
Swimsuit Series, Part 3: Is Today Truly the 66th Anniversary of the First Bikini?
Micheline Bernardini modeling Louis Réard’s bikini.
It’s widely regarded that on this day 66 years ago, the bikini was first introduced to the public by French engineer Louis Réard at the Piscine Molitor swimming pool complex in Paris. The two-piece was coined the “bikini” by Réard because he believed the new itty-bitty suit would wield the same explosive effect as recent atomic tests at the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. And it did.
In planning the debut of his new swimsuit, Réard had trouble finding a professional model who would deign to wear the scandalously skimpy two-piece. So he turned to Micheline Bernardini, an exotic dancer at the Casino de Paris, who had no qualms about appearing nearly nude in public. As an allusion to the headlines that he knew his swimsuit would generate, he printed newspaper type across the suit that Bernardini modeled on July 5 at the Piscine Molitor. The bikini was a hit, especially among men, and Bernardini received some 50,000 fan letters.” — History.com
“Bikini girls” mosaic found by archaeological excavation of an ancient Roman villa near Piazza Armerina in Sicily.
But I beg to differ that today is, in fact, the anniversary of the bikini. Yes, it’s true that Réard unveiled his skimpy two-piece on July 5, 1946. But as I detailed in a recent post on Threaded about the history of swimsuits, the first iteration of a bathing suit was depicted around the fourth century A.D. in an Italian mosaic at the Villa Roma de Casale in Sicily. Sicilian women appear to be exercising, lifting weights and tossing a ball, clad in nothing more than a two-piece . . . bikini?
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Something about the mosaic bothers me. I don’t understand why all the women appear to have an A cup…maybe one or two have a B cup. Weren’t there any C or D cup women?
hmmmm, seems a bit of a stretch to call what the ladies in the mosaic are wearing a bikini. Two-piece garments for sure…but are they for swimming? sunbathing? However, you’re right….there were “bikinis” prior to Reard….as is confirmed by a photo by Toni Frissel for Harper’s Bazaar from 1945. Reard simply marketed them to the public by giving them an “explosive” name.
http://mlleperle.blogspot.com/2010/07/almost-holidays.html
Maybe they are tightly “bound” to allow them to exercise unencumbered? And I further wonder: Why are they all so round in the tummy?
It was me who posted this picture on facebook. I know the place Armerina Villa Italia in person.
These women were wearing bikini, this was proven by studies done on site. These mosaics show women NORMAL a time. In times past, women were round, had more body shapes and less shaped body.
There is the original site for taking the questions. The bikini existed before its commercial explosion, it is a historical fact that can not change.
Yes, they were participating in a tribute of honor of the sea goddess Medeas!
I posted this message on my facebook on March 6, hours 21.03. Why not agree with the post of Elle magazine that talked about the “Birthday” bikini. I work in fashion, and to talk about fashion, I find it very important to research before all the historical facts.
VILLA DEL CASALE A PIAZZA ARMERINA – Approfondimenti by SiciliaSud.it
http://www.siciliasud.it
Bikini girls” mosaic found by archaeological excavation of an ancient Roman villa near Piazza Armerina in Sicily.
Thanks for posting this fascinating mosaic find, Ana Paula. I love fashion. Wish I had gone in that direction as a career. I love to see finds like this. Fashion, art, and history all in one. Too fun.
To Marji’s question– all of their bellies look quite a bit like mine does right now, about 3 months postpartum.
Perhaps the artist depicted them this way to show that they are not ‘maidens’ anymore? I’m only speculating here, but it makes sense to me, especially if they are being shown honoring a goddess in the mosaic.