Micheline Bernardini
Encyclopedia
Casino de Paris
The Casino de Paris, located at 16, rue de Clichy, in the 9th arrondissement is one of the well known music halls of Paris, with a history dating back to the 18th century. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it is a performance venue, not a gambling house...
before being chosen by Louis Réard
Louis Réard
Louis Réard was a French automobile engineer who invented the bikini in 1946.-Invention of bikini:Although Réard was an engineer, he was running his mother's shoe shop Les Folies Bergères in Paris by 1946. Réard and Jacques Heim, his rival designer, were competing to produce the world's smallest...
to model the first modern-day bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
on July 5, 1946 at Piscine Molitor
Piscine Molitor
Piscine Molitor is an abandoned swimming pool complex located in Porte Molitor, 16th arrondissement of Paris, Île-de-France, Paris, France. It is next to the park Bois de Boulogne, and between Stade Roland Garros and Parc des Princes...
in Paris.
The first bikini
Réard could not find a model who would dare to wear his design. He ended up hiring Bernardini, a 19 year old nude dancerStriptease
A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
from the Casino de Paris
Casino de Paris
The Casino de Paris, located at 16, rue de Clichy, in the 9th arrondissement is one of the well known music halls of Paris, with a history dating back to the 18th century. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it is a performance venue, not a gambling house...
as his model. That bikini, a string bikini with a g-string
G-string
A G-string is a type of thong underwear or swimsuit, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men...
back made out of 30 square inches (194 cm²) of cloth with newspaper type printed across, was "officially" introduced at a fashion event at Piscine Molitor
Piscine Molitor
Piscine Molitor is an abandoned swimming pool complex located in Porte Molitor, 16th arrondissement of Paris, Île-de-France, Paris, France. It is next to the park Bois de Boulogne, and between Stade Roland Garros and Parc des Princes...
, a popular public pool in Paris. Her photographs from the show and stories of the event were widely publicized by the press. The Herald Tribune
Herald Tribune
Herald Tribune may refer to:* International Herald Tribune, widely read international newspaper, based in Paris since 1887*Sarasota Herald-Tribune, daily newspaper in Florida*New York Herald Tribune, daily newspaper in New York, created in 1924...
alone ran nine stories on the event. The bikini was a hit, especially among men, and Bernardini received over 50,000 fan letters.