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A new exhibition opening at the Australian National Maritime Museum before touring Australia, will show how Australian designers and swimming stars have been central figures in the evolution of the modern swimsuit, helping to blur the boundaries between underwear and outerwear.
Neck-to-knees, togs, budgie smugglers, sluggos, maillot – over the last century swimwear, like its name, has evolved from a functional outfit to an often provocative fashion essential. Exposed! The story of swimwear draws on the museum’s extensive collection of historical swimwear to explore how the modern swimsuit changed bathing into swimming and helped redefine perceptions of the body.
Exposed! The story of swimwear draws on the museum’s extensive collection of historical swimwear to explore how the modern swimsuit changed bathing into swimming and helped redefine perceptions of the body.
As a nation of swimmers it’s not surprising Australia played, and continues to play, such a key role in swimwear innovation and design.
Australia’s mermaid Annette Kellerman challenged the status quo in the early 1900s. Where women were expected to wear voluminous and restrictive swimming costumes, she championed figure-hugging silk swimsuits and even men’s costumes for greater freedom of movement in the water.
Kellerman quickly became a vaudeville film sensation performing acquatic feats in tanks in head-to-toe woollen and flamboyant costumes. The exhibition includes some of Kellerman’s original vaudeville costumes together with a sequinned costume worn by Esther Williams in the 1952 musical Million Dollar Mermaid about Kellerman’s life.
Over the ensuring decades the modern swimsuit underwent an amazing transformation with Australian designers spearheading many of these developments.
Australia’s success in competitive swimming and overall beach culture saw local knitting mills in Melbourne and Sydney launch their own swimwear lines as early as 1912.
McRae Knitting Mills created Speedo in 1928. Based in Sydney, it made important breakthroughs in competitive swimwear design including the racer back shoulder strap.
A collection of historic and modern competitive swimming costumes by Speedo are featured in the exhibition, highlighting Speedo’s ongoing relationship with the Australian Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams as official swimsuit supplier.
Exposed also looks at other Australian designers such as Black Lance and Paula Stafford who embraced the fashion end of swimwear design… leading to more daring separates, boardshorts and surfwear.
While the bikini, invented by Frenchman Louis Réard, shocked the world on its debut in 1946, Australia was very quick to embrace the new ‘risque’ trend – even before Britain or the US!
Queenslander Paula Stafford helped popularise the french-style two-piece in the late 1940s when she started up her own same-day made-to-measure swimwear service.
Paula Stafford is also credited with creating the world’s first reversible bikini show. Her designs were daringly brief and challenged dress codes on Queensland and Sydney beaches – sparking the ire of many beach inspectors. Examples of her designs from the 1970s are featured in the exhibition.
Looking at swimwear on a global level, Exposed! follows the design changes over 100 years from unisex one-pieces to functional sporting and fashion items… effectively mapping the gradual exposure of the body in the 20th century.
These changes in design reflected changes in perceptions of the body and erogenous zones – from structured corsetry designs in the 1940s to emphasise the bust and midriff to the ‘tanga’ or string bikini of the 1970s to draw attention to the upper legs and buttocks.
The exhibition also pays homage to famous swimwear moments from the silver screen from Brigitte Bardot in The Girl in the Bikini to Ursula Andress’ bikini showstopper in Dr No and even Borat’s unforgettable mankini.
It then concludes by showcasing major contemporary Australian brands including Zimmerman, Seafolly, Tigerlily and AussieBum and their continued influence on the international swimwear market. Included are a series of wonderfully creative costumes created by these designers in response to a specific brief recalling the Annette Kellerman era within a modern-day context.
Exposed! The story of swimwear is an Australian National Maritime Museum travelling exhibition. After Sydney it will tour to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Wagga Wagga and Newcastle.
Exposed! will open to the public on 2 July 2009 and be on display, admission free, until 25 October 2009. The National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, is open daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm. All inquiries, (02) 9298 3777 or visit www.anmm.gov.au.