On this day in 1946, French designer Louis Reard unveiled a daring two-piece swimsuit at a popular swimming pool in Paris. Reard called it the “bikini,” inspired by the U.S. atomic test that took place off the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean earlier that week.
This quilt, titled “Historical Bikini” was made by Rebecca Navarro of Sugar Land, Texas for the “Alliances” quilt contest held by the Quilt Alliance in 2011. From Navarro’s artist statement: “Dressing the ancient female figure in a bikini takes her out of her element. By standing the figure in front of the graffiti covered wall, art from the past is joined to the present.”
View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view.
Source:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bikini-introduced
Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org