Fashion by the Decades

One of the less predictable consequences of wartime was the increasing popularity of the two-piece swimsuit, a result of fabric rationing enforced by the U.S. government beginning in 1943. Three years later, French designer Louis Réard introduced the bikini we know today, naming it after the site of American nuclear tests and daring to cut it below the belly button—a style that wouldn't fully be embraced until decades later. In spring 2017, Réard relaunched with a collection of luxurious, modern bikinis and one-pieces.