National Bikini Day took place in early July, and in celebration it's time to revisit the world's very first bikini—designed by Louis Réard and brought into our lives in 1946. Memories!
The French designer revealed his creation (made with fabric that looks like newspapers) at Paris' Molitor pool, and naturally it was completely scandalous. In fact, Réard had such a rough time getting a model for his gasp-inducing design, that he ended up hiring 19-year-old nude dancer Micheline Bernardini to show it off. In the below photo, you can see that she's holding the bikini's conveniently labeled box.
Also, fun fact: Réard is said to have named the bikini after Bikini Atoll, an atoll in the Marshall Islands where the atomic bomb was tested.
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Mehera Bonner is a news writer who focuses on celebrities and royals.
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