History Today: When the bikini was first introduced in Paris and revolutionised women's fashion

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On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard shocked Paris — and the world — with the debut of the bikini, a revolutionary swimsuit that would become an enduring symbol of freedom and modernity, challenging social norms and redefining women's fashion — and confidence read more
Contestants pose for a group photo for the swimsuit section of the Miss Universe pageant in Cancun, Mexico, May 11, 2007. File Image/Reuters
As part of Firstpost's History Today series, July 5 ranks as a culturally transformative date.
In 1946, in post‑war Paris, the daring debut of the bikini by engineer Louis Réard stirred waves across fashion and women's liberation.
Five decades later, in 1996, Dolly the sheep was born near Edinburgh — the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell.
On July 5, 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win Wimbledon, and in 1962, Algeria officially attained independence from France after a brutal war.
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The bikini debuts in Paris
On a sunny afternoon in July 1946, the tranquil elegance of Paris was upended by the unveiling of a swimsuit so daring it would reverberate through fashion — and cultural history.
At the Piscine Molitor, a glamorous Art Deco pool in the 16th arrondissement, French engineer-turned-fashion designer Louis Réard introduced what he called the bikini — a two-piece swimsuit revealing the wearer's navel for the first time in swimwear.
The aftermath of World War II set the stage for radical change in social norms. Fabric rationing during the war led to minimalist swimwear trends in the 1930s, a precursor to what was to come.
Two French designers — Jacques Heim, who launched the 'Atome' swimsuit that left the navel covered, and Réard, who aimed for something far more audacious — seized upon the era's growing appetite for liberation.
Réard, who ran a lingerie shop left to him by his mother near the Folies Bergère, was struck by women at St. Tropez tucking in their swimwear at the waist to tan their midriffs.
Inspired, he engineered a garment with minimal fabric — just 30 square inches, connected by strings — that would break all sensual and sartorial boundaries.
The choice of name was deliberate and provocative. On July 1, 1946, the US had conducted Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll.
Réard seized on the pun — his swimsuit would have a similarly explosive impact on fashion consciousness. Named 'bikini,' it linked a physical revelation with nuclear symbolic force.
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Réard needed a grand stage: Piscine Molitor — nicknamed the 'White Ocean Liner' — an Art Deco landmark reopened after German occupation, brimming with Parisian elegance and optimism.
To generate maximum attention, Réard scheduled an outdoor press preview on July 5. But no professional model would step forward for such a scandalous design.
Finally, he recruited Micheline Bernardini, an exotic dancer at the Casino de Paris. At 19 years old, she became the face of this new swimwear era.
Bernardini emerged onto the pool deck wearing a newsprint-patterned bikini that left her midriff — and, shockingly (at the time), her navel — bare.
Micheline Bernardini wearing the first bikini in 1946. The new 'Bikini' swimming costume (in a newsprint-patterned fabric), which caused a sensation at a beauty contest at the Molitor swimming pool in Paris. She is holding a small box into which the entire costume can be packed. File Image/Hulton Archive
A hush fell over the audience: 3,000 spectators and the press, stunned and captivated. It was the smallest swimsuit ever seen in swimwear, one Réard dared say could 'be pulled through a wedding ring.'
The reaction was electric. Conservative European nations — Italy, Spain, Belgium — banned the garment on moral grounds.
Catholic leaders denounced it as immodest.
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American newspapers initially ignored the reveal, focusing on the nuclear tests. But gradually, the bikini's shockwaves spread internationally.
History Extra noted Réard's flair for publicity — skywriters advertised the bikini above Cannes with slogans like 'smaller than the world's smallest bathing suit.'
Media outlets responded: Micheline Bernardini received over 50,000 fan letters, primarily from men, as the suit sparked both fascination and scandal.
Despite early resistance, the bikini began to permeate beach culture — first on the Mediterranean and then globally.
By the 1950s and 1960s, Hollywood icons like Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress wore bikinis onscreen, normalising them and reinforcing their association with youth and modern freedom.
Bardot in particular popularised the bikini's French Riviera chic, while Andress's white bikini in Dr. No (James Bond) became a fashion milestone.
Still in the US, the bikini remained controversial until the sexual revolution of the 1960s, when increased emphasis on sexual liberation propelled its adoption in mainstream American beaches.
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Réard understood that sensationalism sold. He patented the bikini on July 19, 1946, and kept fuelling its mystique through clever marketing: the wedding-ring slogan, skywriting campaigns, flamboyant promotional vehicles (like a Packard 'road yacht' carrying bikini-clad models) and celebrity endorsements.
The original design — four triangles, string-joined, newsprint-clad — highlighted Réard's engineering background, merging technical minimalism with striking aesthetics.
Its intentional contrast to conservative one-pieces was a statement of modernity.
Decades later, Réard's bikini endures. International Bikini Day is celebrated annually on July 5, honouring the radical spirit of Réard's unveiling.
The bikini remains a billion-dollar industry and a symbol of feminist empowerment and body positivity — though its cultural journey reflects ongoing tensions around modesty, sexuality and female representation.
Academic studies highlight its significance: Réard's garment sparked 'a psychological link between atomic destruction and sexuality,' and scholar Diana Vreeland dubbed it the 'atom bomb of fashion.'
He successfully trivialised nuclear dread by fusing it with liberation and desire.
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As women reclaimed their bodies and public spaces, the bikini became host, symbol, and testament to a shifting world.
Réard's engineering genius and daring marketing acumen ensured its lasting place in history — and in wardrobes worldwide.
Dolly the sheep is born
On July 5, 1996, at the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh, scientists made history with the birth of Dolly the Finn-Dorset sheep, the world's first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell.
The world's first clone of an adult animal, Dolly the sheep, stands in her pen at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, February 23, 1997. File Image/Reuters
Born from a mammary gland cell wired into an enucleated egg and implanted in a surrogate, Dolly shattered scientific dogma: mature cells could be reprogrammed to create a whole organism.
Her 1997 unveiling sparked controversy and excitement. Though not the first clone, Dolly proved adult-cell cloning was viable, opening avenues in stem-cell research and ethics.
She gave birth to six lambs and lived until 2003, but suffered lung disease possibly linked to premature ageing.
Professor Ian Wilmut is reflected in a mirror as he poses for photographs after a news conference in Edinburgh, February 8, 2005. Wilmut who created Dolly the sheep, the world's first cloned mammal, was granted a licence to clone human embryos for medical research. File Image/Reuters
Today, Dolly's preserved remains stand at the National Museum of Scotland as a symbol of scientific breakthrough.
Arthur Ashe wins Wimbledon
On July 5, 1975, Arthur Ashe, an American tennis pioneer, stunned the world by becoming the first Black man to win the Wimbledon Men's Singles title, defeating reigning champ Jimmy Connors in four sets (6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4).
Ashe, who had already made history by winning the US Open in 1968 and Australian Open in 1970, overcame discrimination and segregation en route to the Centre Court victory .
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His triumph transcended sport: Ashe became a global symbol of racial equality and leadership, publicly advocating for civil rights and AIDS awareness.
His Wimbledon win remains a celebrated milestone in tennis as well as in the struggle for social justice. The main stadium of the US Open tennis tournament is named after Ashe.
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, widow of the late Arthur Ashe, sits next to a plaque that was unveiled at the formal dedication of the new Arthur Ashe Stadium at the at the US Open in New York, August 25, 1997. The tribute included over 40 past champions of the US Open. File Image/Reuters
Algeria gains independence
On July 5, 1962, Algeria officially gained independence from France after a protracted eight-year liberation war, marking the end of 132 years of colonial rule.
The conflict began in November 1954, with the FLN waging fierce guerrilla tactics. It drew international attention for its brutality — both French repression and FLN terrorism.
Following a 1962 referendum granting self-determination, France recognised independence on July 3, and Algeria celebrated on July 5 — the anniversary of France's 1830 invasion, symbolically reclaiming the date.
The first President, Ahmed Ben Bella, called on Algerians to 'build history with our hands.'
Independence Day remains a cornerstone of Algerian national identity.
With inputs from agencies