From its beginnings to the present day, how has the swimsuit evolved?
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Before the swimsuit, there was... swimming in one’s birthday suit! Indeed, in antiquity, men and women bathed naked (though not together) in public baths. In reality, it would take several centuries not only for swimming to return as a leisure activity but also for the first swimsuits to appear. For long before the bikini, the swimsuit resembled a pant-set that was slightly baggy and cinched at the waist with a belt. Rule number 1: the swimsuit was not supposed to reveal feminine curves and, above all, was not to expose skin to the eyes of men... or the sun. In the 19th century, women therefore bathed in particularly uncomfortable outfits. Swimming was not a sport; it was about relaxation. Women simply stood in the water, and their attire would not have allowed them to swim even if they had wanted to!
Annette Kellerman, the pioneer
Everything changed at the beginning of the 20th century with Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman. Hindered in her movements by those uncomfortable swimsuits, the young woman developed a one-piece that hugged her curves in 1907. When she decided to cut off the legs, thus revealing her thighs, a scandal erupted. Annette Kellerman was even prosecuted for “indecency.” But that was it—the revolution was underway, and the ancestor of our modern one-piece swimsuit had just been born!
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The 30s-40s: the swimsuit shrinks cm by cm
In the 20s, thighs and arms were revealed at the same time as women’s hair was getting shorter. But woe to those who dared to show themselves in too skimpy an outfit, as they were escorted off the premises by force. Over the years, and as vacations became more accessible with the advent of paid leave, the swimsuit would undergo a transformation. Women asserted their place in society, and the swimsuit would be one of the tools of this liberation. Centimeter by centimeter, the swimsuit would shorten, now appearing in stretchy fabrics that hugged the body and facilitated movement.
My teeny-weeny bikini, the one that liberated women
It was in 1946 that the bikini made its appearance. Invented by Louis Réard, this two-piece swimsuit took its name from the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Quite the statement! At the time, Louis Réard had immense difficulty finding a model to wear his creation and turned to Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer. In the aftermath of the Second World War, this swimsuit that showed the hips and navel caused a real scandal.
Actresses like Ava Gardner and Brigitte Bardot would popularize it, but the bikini remained shrouded in a sulfurous aura for many years and was even banned on certain beaches until the end of the 60s. It was around this time that everything changed. With the sexual revolution and the authorization of the contraceptive pill, women wanted more than ever to free themselves from the dictates imposed by society and by men. Married or single, mothers or not, all women now wanted to wear a bikini and took ownership of it.
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The 80s: anything goes!
The 80s saw the arrival of high-cut swimsuit models in bright, even neon, colors. The bikini no longer surprised anyone, and tanned skin was displayed without shame on beaches around the world.
The 2010s: ecological awareness
Most swimsuits are made from polyester and elastane. Practical, pretty, and often economical, but ecologically disastrous. While the fashion industry is one of the most polluting, young brands are now committing to offering swimsuits made from more environmentally friendly materials. At Canopea, we have chosen Econyl®, a 100% recycled and infinitely recyclable nylon thread made from fishing nets abandoned in the oceans. A commitment to sustainability and transparency that is at the heart of the brand's values. Our swimsuits are modern in their construction but also carry within them a bit of the history we have just retraced. Pieces with an elegant and slightly retro line that are truly timeless.
Discover our collection of anti-UV swimwear here.
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