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By: Carol Fuller On July 5th 1946 at a public swimming pool in Paris, a clothing designer Louis Reard held a beauty contest. This was his way of introducing his latest creation. A number of the guest around the edge of the pool had been remarking how little one of the contestants had on. When this girl was selected as one of the finalist there was a stir of appreciation through the crowd. It wasn’t for her beauty but rather for what was referred to at the time as the swim costume she was wearing. This two-piece swimwear was extremely daring at a time when exposing the navel was equal to showing nipple. In the same summer of 1946 another celebrated French clothing designer Jacques Heim came out with a two-piece outfit that at least covered the navel. What to call this new concept swimwear? Both designers needed a name for this daring swimsuit costume. July 1st 1946 on the tiny coral atoll in the South Pacific Ocean called Bikini Islands; United States tested a nuclear bomb. Newspapers around the world had been buzzing with all the sensationalism of this upcoming experiment. The “bomb” became a common household word. Hollywood even coined the phrase to starlets as “blond bomb shells”. It seemed obvious to Jacques Heim to call his shocking new swimwear design ATOME after the Atom bomb. Louis Reard decided to name his design after a paradise with beautiful beaches, palm trees and imagined scantily clad natives associated with the south pacific. Since the world focus already was on that small coral atoll, he named his design,“The BIKINI” 
The expression “There is nothing new under the sun” really applies to Bikinis. Two chunks of mosaics found in the Villa Romana del Casale dating from the 3rd or 4th century AD show girls playing and wearing Bikini like outfits. My fascination with bikinis began many years ago (not in the 4th century) it was always a treat to shop for beautiful quality swimwear. My criteria required that a bikini had to fit well, be eye catching in colour as you are walking on the beach and be well constructed. For a few years this was easy but after a while a trend began to show. The Bikini’s began to look the same. The quality and fit began to disappear. In shear frustration and disappointment I decided to make my own bikinis. For the first time girls would approach me on the beach and ask where I bought my bathing suit. Often as my husband and I would be traveling I would come up with a new design idea and draw it on any thing I could find. The passion and excitement I have for designing and producing bikinis has been a burning desire for years. In October 2009 I finally decided to take the big plunge and present my collection to the public at the “Toronto Women’s Show”. It was a huge success, more than I could have hoped for. Stay in touch. You will see new additions to the collection and upcoming events Hollenbreez Swimwear will be participating in. Carol Fuller PS. |
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