In the history of fashion Rudi Gernreich is known for his provocative designs, such as the first thong bathing suit and the monokini, the first topless bathing suit that sparked a debate about women's rights, equality and sexuality, generating a scandal of global proportion (Pope Paul VI banned it...).
In his early swimwear designs Gernreich used wool knits without understructures which meant that his suits guaranteed freedom to the wearers, clinging close to their bodies. There were also intriguing details that he employed in some of his swimwear that were not as soft as wool and that appeared unusual and futuristic for his times.
In this 1972 wool bikini from the Met Museum archive, for example, Gernreich replaced the side seams on the bra and bikini bottoms with eight metal springs.
This hardware inspiration came back in new bathing suits designed for the recently relaunched Rudi Gernreich label that featured carabiners instead of more traditional bra fastenings.
Though the hardware details look unusual and original in swimwear, they are not ideal, especially if you swim in the sea as salt will eventually ruin them. Yet they remain intriguing and invite us to find new and less bland solutions not just for clothes fastenings but for beachwear as well.
Talking about beachwear, it would be nice to see at some point a major summer exhibition about beachwear and swimwear: Gernreich's spring bikini only appeared in the Met's "Sporting Life" event (July 1972 – February 1973) and in "A Century Exhibition of Bathing Costumes" (May 1977 – June 1977), so it may be about time for the Met to take it out of its archives again.
Comments