Brief History of Brazilian Bikinis
Historians trace the origins of bikinis back in the Roman Empire. The modern version of the two-piece swimsuit was introduced in Paris centuries later in the middle of the 1940s. Louis Reard, the designer, initially had problems how his creation would be accepted by the general public. Even models at the time refused to wear the outfit on the fashion show stage.
The Brazilian bikini was publicly showcased beginning July 5, 1945. The name of the clothing for swimming was obviously taken from the Pacific atoll of Bikini. The islands were the location of the atomic bombs testings of the United States. Another Frenchman had his own bikini creation named "The Atome." Jacques Heim was the Frenchman designer.
Micheline Bernardini, who was a nude dancer in Casino de Paris, was the only model who had the courage to wear the Brazilian bikini type clothing. And this caught the attention of the world. In many countries, women got attracted to the new craze in swimsuits. Debates arose from different sectors. Spain, Portugal and Italy, all Catholic countries, prohibited women from wearing these skimpy bathing suits. Hollywood was pressured to prohibit actresses to wear the Brazilian bikini in movies.
