– Fashion Changes, Style Endures
In the 19th century, modesty was the driving trend in female fashion. Clothing was meant to cover the threatening curves of the female form: Necklines were high, hips were hidden, and faces were shaded with wide-brimmed hats and bonnets. So when beaches became popular destinations for middle- and upper-class families, women were expected to adhere […]
On 5 July 1946, a French engineer and designer unveiled an outfit “smaller than the world’s smallest swimsuit”. Louis Réard, who had recently taken over his mother’s lingerie business, knew that the two-piece would make considerable impact, so he aptly named it after Bikini Atoll – the test site for the atomic bomb located in […]