Bikinis have seen constant change in style although they’ve been worn for centuries. Over the years, a lot of 2-piece fashions have come and gone. It includes the skirted and tankini. But the micro bikini has only become more and more famous since its debut in the 1970s. Celebrities including Bella Hadid, Kim Kardashian, Emily Ratajkowski, and Dua Lipa regularly sport the barely-there swimsuit trend. High-end versions of the micro bikini have also been produced by labels like Dior, GCDS, and Chanel.
Overview of Micro Bikini: Who Created It?
- Compared to a typical bikini, a micro bikini is constructed of less fabric and exposes more skin. To hide tan lines, extreme micro bikinis frequently use string straps and thong-style bottoms. A version of the tiny bikini is the first bikini micro. In 1946, French fashion designers Jacques Heim and Louis Réard each introduced their own takes on the modern bikini.
- At a Parisian poolside fashion presentation, Réard introduced the bikini. While several models declined the job offer, showgirl Micheline Bernardini gladly wore the creation. Its exposed cut featured string straps that gave rise to the micro bikinis of today.
- The 1970s saw the invention of the modern micro bikini. Casualwear gained popularity throughout the disco era, and as individuals grew more at ease with baring flesh, smaller swimsuit styles, and crop tops also gained popularity.
- String bikinis are said to have originated when Brazilian model Rose di Primo was forced to make her own for a photo session out of spare parts, according to Fodor’s. Although the origin of this urban tale is unknown, tiny bikinis most likely originated in Brazil.
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Famous Examples of Micro Bikinis:
- Possibly the most famous micro bikini design is Karl Lagerfeld’s creation for Chanel, which made its catwalk premiere during the brand’s spring 1996 collection. Models with bikini tops featuring Chanel’s interlocking “C” logo included Carla Bruni, Eva Herzigova, Stella Tennant, and Kirsty Hume.
- They were colored black, yellow, pink, and blue, and they came in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small triangles to pastie-sized circles. As early as 1994, Chanel was producing string bikinis; however, for his spring 1996 collection, Lagerfeld scaled those designs down to micro bikinis. Since then, Dior and Fendi have created their monogram string bikinis; in 2017, Kardashian was seen donning the former.
- The crochet two-piece bikinis by GCDS, which showcase cartoon characters like Spongebob Squarepants, Hello Kitty, and the Care Bears, are a more contemporary take on the designer micro bikini. In 2021 and 2023, Dua Lipa wore knit micro bikinis from GCDS, respectively.
Where Can You Get a Micro Bikini?
Microbikinis are becoming more and more fashionable, and several high-end and low-cost businesses are currently producing them. Because the style is so popular, retailers might not always identify some suits as micro or string bikinis, but you can always tell one apart by its exposed cut. Mid-range Skims micro bikini are made by Skims, Frankies Bikinis, and Triangl, whereas the high-end companies listed earlier charge a premium for their creations.
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Popular Variants of Bikini
- String bikini
- Compared to a standard bikini, a string bikini is more exposing and scantier. The string features of its design are where it gets its name. A thin “string” that encircles the waist connects the two triangle-shaped portions, which are joined at the groin but not at the sides. Comparable are string bikini tops, which fasten with attached ‘string’ components.
- String segments may be knotted or continuous. It completely vanishes in the string bikini, leaving the waistband as a ‘string.’ The bikini’s back covering isn’t as extensive as the briefs. The bikini is the most popular clothing style among women globally. Unintentionally tying the strings can cause a wardrobe malfunction, as Miss Guárico from the Miss Venezuela 2008 competition discovered.
- Monokini
- A monokini is a women’s one-piece swimsuit. It’s similar to the lower half of a bikini. It is also famous as a topless swimsuit. The first monokini was created in the United States by Austrian fashion designer Rudi Gernreich in 1964. In addition, Gernreich came up with the term for it; same year, the English word “monokini” was first used.
- In the cleavage of his exposed breasts, Gernreich’s monokini appeared to be a one-piece swimsuit suspended from two halter straps. The breasts were exposed because there were just two tiny straps covering the shoulders. Although very few monokinis were ever worn in public, shoppers bought the bikini in record numbers that summer, despite the disapproval of church leaders and fashion critics.
- Microkini
- Microkini is a very simple bikini that exposes more skin & hides tan lines by using less fabric than a standard bikini. They usually cover little more than the pubic hair and nipples, with string straps and bottoms a la thong. Sometimes the straps are made of see-through material to give the impression that the cloth triangles are taped to the body.
- Some microkini versions secure the fabric over the genitalia with wire or adhesive. There is no need for extra side straps with these designs to secure the garment. The most extreme microkini versions are just thin straps that partially or completely enclose the wearer’s body.
- Trikini
- In 1967, the trikini made a brief appearance and was described as ‘a handkerchief and two small saucers.’ A few years ago, it made a comeback as a bikini pant with a string halter made of two triangle-shaped pieces of fabric covering the breasts.
- Essentially, the bikini top is made of two sections. In the summer of 2005, Dolce & Gabbana created trikinis, which are three dazzlingly colored pieces of fabric that hardly cover the wearer.
Conclusion
As movie stars like Brigitte Bardot, Raquel Welch, and Ursula Andress wore bikinis, were spotted on public beaches, and appeared in movies, the bikini received more recognition and popularity. By the mid-1960s, most Western countries had adopted the minimalist bikini design for both swimwear and undergarments.
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