White bikini of Ursula Andress
Encyclopedia
The White bikini of Ursula Andress (also known as the Dr. No bikini) was a white bikini
worn by Ursula Andress
as Honey Ryder in the 1962 James Bond
film, Dr. No
. It is cited as the most famous bikini of all time and an iconic moment in cinematic and fashion history.
Andress's white bikini is regarded as monumental in the history of the bikini, and sales of the two-piece bikini rocketed after the appearance of Andress in Dr. No. It is a white belted, hipster style bikini, and the lower part of the bikini features a wide white British Army belt with brass buckles and fittings, and a scabbard on the left side to hold a large knife.
, who wore an orange bikini with tool belt, in the 2002 James Bond film, Die Another Day
.
The bikini was auctioned at Christie's
auction house in London and sold for £35,000 ($61,500) in 2001, less than the £50,000 for which it had been expected to sell.
. Andress reported that upon arriving in Jamaica for filming no costumes were ready, and that she wanted something that fit her 5'6", 36-24-36 frame. It is a white belted, hipster style bikini, and made from cotton. The lower part of the bikini features a wide white British Army webbing belt
with brass buckles and fittings, and a scabbard
on the left side to hold a large knife. The top part of the bikini has narrow straps and is creased at the bottom of the breasts, and tied delicately in the middle.
, it was voted number one in "the 100 Greatest Sexy Moments" of cinema. The scene has been widely emulated and parodied on screen since. The white bikini is regarded as perhaps the most important in the history of the bikini and sales of the two-piece bikini rocketed after the appearance of Andress in Dr. No. In a survey of 1000 women to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the bikini, Ursula Andress in her white bikini was voted "The Ultimate Bikini Goddess". Andress said that she owed her career to that white bikini, remarking, "This bikini made me into a success. As a result of starring in Dr. No as the first Bond girl
, I was given the freedom to take my pick of future roles and to become financially independent."
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...
worn by Ursula Andress
Ursula Andress
Ursula Andress is a Swiss actress and a sex symbol of the 1960s. She is known for her roles as Bond girl Honey Ryder in Dr...
as Honey Ryder in the 1962 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Dr. No
Dr. No (film)
Dr. No is a 1962 spy film, starring Sean Connery; it is the first James Bond film. Based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel of the same name, it was adapted by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather and was directed by Terence Young. The film was produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R...
. It is cited as the most famous bikini of all time and an iconic moment in cinematic and fashion history.
Andress's white bikini is regarded as monumental in the history of the bikini, and sales of the two-piece bikini rocketed after the appearance of Andress in Dr. No. It is a white belted, hipster style bikini, and the lower part of the bikini features a wide white British Army belt with brass buckles and fittings, and a scabbard on the left side to hold a large knife.
History
The first bikini had been worn at a Paris fashion show in 1946, but in the 1950s the bikini was still seen as something of a taboo. Andress' bikini proved to be a very important moment in women's history, arriving at the "birth of the sexual revolution"; the 1960s. The bikini and scene in Dr. No of Andress emerging from the water was emulated by Halle BerryHalle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
, who wore an orange bikini with tool belt, in the 2002 James Bond film, Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
.
The bikini was auctioned at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction house in London and sold for £35,000 ($61,500) in 2001, less than the £50,000 for which it had been expected to sell.
Design
Andress designed the bikini along with Dr. Nos costume designer Tessa Prendergast, whom she first met living in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Andress reported that upon arriving in Jamaica for filming no costumes were ready, and that she wanted something that fit her 5'6", 36-24-36 frame. It is a white belted, hipster style bikini, and made from cotton. The lower part of the bikini features a wide white British Army webbing belt
1937 Pattern Web Equipment
1937 Pattern Web Equipment was an item of military load-carrying equipment. It replaced the 1908 Pattern and 1925 Pattern—on which it was based—and was standard issue for British and Commonwealth troops from its introduction in 1937, throughout World War II, and in the post-war period until it was...
with brass buckles and fittings, and a scabbard
Scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
on the left side to hold a large knife. The top part of the bikini has narrow straps and is creased at the bottom of the breasts, and tied delicately in the middle.
Reception
The Dr. No bikini is cited as the best known bikini of all time and an iconic moment in cinematic and fashion history. The moment in which Andress emerges from the sea in the white bikini has been cited amongst the greatest moments in film and one of its most erotic; in a 2003 UK Survey by Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, it was voted number one in "the 100 Greatest Sexy Moments" of cinema. The scene has been widely emulated and parodied on screen since. The white bikini is regarded as perhaps the most important in the history of the bikini and sales of the two-piece bikini rocketed after the appearance of Andress in Dr. No. In a survey of 1000 women to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the bikini, Ursula Andress in her white bikini was voted "The Ultimate Bikini Goddess". Andress said that she owed her career to that white bikini, remarking, "This bikini made me into a success. As a result of starring in Dr. No as the first Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
, I was given the freedom to take my pick of future roles and to become financially independent."