World celebrates Bikini Day |06 July 2023
Yesterday was the annual International Bikini Day which is celebrated every July 5.
On July 5, 1946, French engineer Louis Reard and fashion designer Jacques Heim independently unveiled their versions of the two-piece swimsuit at a poolside fashion show in Paris. Louis Reard’s design, consisting of four triangles and thin strings, was so scandalous at the time that no professional model wanted to wear it. He had to hire a dancer named Micheline Bernardini to debut the bikini.
The name ‘bikini’ originates from a place named Bikini Atoll, where the United States conducted a peacetime hydrogen bomb test on July 1, 1946.
The significance of the bikini represents a daring departure from traditional swimwear, which consisted of modest one-piece bathing suits.
Its introduction marked a significant shift in societal attitudes towards fashion, femininity, and body image.
The bikini became synonymous with freedom, independence, and female empowerment, symbolising a woman’s right to express herself and her body without shame or judgment.
Seychelles NATION reached out to ‘Soley Swim’ and its owner, Diane Rose, to get her take on what the day means.
Ms Rose said body acceptance is about embracing all the unique aspects of ourselves, including our physical appearance.
“We would like to remind you to celebrate the empowerment that comes from loving and accepting our bodies just the way they are. Let us reject the idea of a ‘perfect’ body in order to wear a bikini and instead embrace our individual beauty, strength and worth.”
From the point of view of Terry Carolla, who is the owner of his own fashion agency, Telly Modelling Agency, a bikini is an “expression of creativity and femininity”.
He briefly went over the history of the bikini, explaining that it has been around for over 40 years. “It has always been a piece of costume that allows the ladies to express themselves.”
He went on to state that over the years it has been developed in different styles and the different ways of making it.
“Somebody wearing a nice bikini feels good about it and reflects what she is thinking,” he concluded.
Sunny Esparon