Advertisement

Celebrating the bikini at 70 (35 images)

On July 5, 1946, French designer Louis Reard introduced the bikini swimsuit. Though it endured a difficult beginning, the bikini's popularity over the past 70 years has seen it skyrocket to become one of the most iconic fashion designs ever created.



Thanks to Brigitte Bardot (seen here in this undated photo), the bikini was accepted on American beaches in the early 1960's. When Louis Reard introduced "le bikini," it wasn't accepted on U.S. beaches. UPI File Photo
License photo | Permalink


Kate Upton walks the runway during the Beach Bunny Swimwear show at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach on July 16, 2010. Photo by Michael Bush/UPI
License photo | Permalink


Naomi Campbell models for Rosa Cha during the showing of his 2004 Spring swimsuit collection on September 13, 2003, at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring 2004 Collections in New York City. Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI
License photo | Permalink


Chrissy Teigen walks the runway during the Ed Hardy Swimwear show at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach on July 16, 2010. Photo by Michael Bush/UPI
License photo | Permalink


Advertisement