A French engineer shocked the world by unveiling a controversial two piece garment that changed beach fashion forever.

On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard, who worked as an automobile engineer and clothing designer in France, presented the modern bikini at a public swimming pool in Paris called the Piscine Molitor. He created a garment with two separate pieces. Because the design allowed the navel of the wearer to be visible, people at that time considered the concept to be highly offensive.

For the construction of the bikini, Réard used approximately 30 square inches or 194 square centimeters, of cloth that featured a printed design resembling a newspaper. When women who worked as professional fashion models declined to wear the garment, Réard employed Micheline Bernardini, who was a 19-year-old performer and dancer from Paris, to display the suit during the debut. Because of this intentional effort to attract public interest, the event was successful & Bernardini received a large amount of notice and many letters from people who admired her.

By choosing the name "bikini", Réard referred to the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, which was a location where the United States military had recently performed tests on atomic weapons. It was his goal to imply that the swimsuit would cause a sudden and intense reaction in society and this comparison was correct because the clothing resulted in an immediate public outcry and extensive arguments.

As records show the United States conducted the first atomic test of Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll on July 1, 1946, which occurred four days before the presentation by Réard - this specific fact from history is relevant because it accounts for why the name of the bikini was seen as very current and likely to cause anger in 1946.

In many regions the response from the public was unfavorable and organizations with traditional values limited or criticized the bikini for a long period of time. In many regions people who held Catholic and conservative views criticized the garment with particular severity. To describe the situation accurately, the bikini did not face a universal ban but it encountered significant resistance within society. Because of this social opposition, the garment required a long period of time to become common in Europe and other parts of the world.

Public perception of the bikini shifted in 1953 - this change occurred when Brigitte Bardot wore the item for photographs that the media distributed during the Cannes Film Festival. By presenting the garment in this way, she helped it move away from its status as an offensive novelty. It became a representation of contemporary style and personal freedom instead.

The bikini is a global standard for beach fashion - it is among the most identifiable types of swimwear that people use. For what started as a 1946 promotional event that caused public disagreement, it is now a permanent symbol in culture.