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Raquel Welch,
on the beach during
the filming of the film "Fathom" in 1967.
Photo: Louis Malle
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But on July 5th, 1946, Réard’s Bikini hit the store shelves of Paris and became an instant sensation all over the Mediterranean. One year later, they were introduced to the USA, and the rest is history.
At first there was some backlash from members of both European and American society. The swimsuits were incredibly small and provocative compared to the swim fashions of the 20’s and 30’s. Historically women were supposed to keep themselves covered as much as possible when they ventured to the beach as not to appear unladylike or vulgar, especially in more religious circles. But gradually, the bikini became more accepted as part of pop culture when international film stars like Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Ursula Andress, and
American actress Raquel Welch began wearing them in their movies and out in public.
During the 1960’s and 70’s, the Bikini craze was in full swing. Women were starting to become more independent and less concerned about those who scoffed at the revealing and risqué nature of the swimwear. Most women had multiple Bikini’s in their closets and they were being seen all over the big screen, as well as on the television. A series of Bikini-themed movies emerged starring former Disney Mouseketeer and child actress Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon that cemented the bikini in American culture.
In the 1980’s and 90’s, the Bikini evolved even further into more wild, shocking,