FIDM Museum - Parlez-vous bikini? It's #BikiniDay, and while a scanty swimsuit nowadays barely raises an eyebrow, that hasn't always been the case. In 1946, two French designers—Jacques Heim and Louis Réard—both
![History Photographed on Twitter: "A policeman issues a ticket to a woman for wearing a bikini, 1957 The word bikini was coined in 1946 by French engineer Louis Réard who invented it. History Photographed on Twitter: "A policeman issues a ticket to a woman for wearing a bikini, 1957 The word bikini was coined in 1946 by French engineer Louis Réard who invented it.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FhYXz8_VEAEKpwo.jpg:large)
History Photographed on Twitter: "A policeman issues a ticket to a woman for wearing a bikini, 1957 The word bikini was coined in 1946 by French engineer Louis Réard who invented it.
![STOCK IMAGE, , UIW_011788C_10, 01ASVDBS , UPPA - Search Stock Photos, Images, Pictures, Photography at Diomedia STOCK IMAGE, , UIW_011788C_10, 01ASVDBS , UPPA - Search Stock Photos, Images, Pictures, Photography at Diomedia](https://cache.diomedia.com/diocomp/01/AS/VD/comp/01AS-VDBS.jpg)
STOCK IMAGE, , UIW_011788C_10, 01ASVDBS , UPPA - Search Stock Photos, Images, Pictures, Photography at Diomedia
![French Embassy U.S. on Twitter: "Today is #bikiniday! #DidYouKnow that the bikini was invented by Parisian engineer Louis Réard? It was first revealed #OnThisDay in 1946. https://t.co/loZSbqZKVy" / Twitter French Embassy U.S. on Twitter: "Today is #bikiniday! #DidYouKnow that the bikini was invented by Parisian engineer Louis Réard? It was first revealed #OnThisDay in 1946. https://t.co/loZSbqZKVy" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DD-y3yNUIAAPpZg.jpg)
French Embassy U.S. on Twitter: "Today is #bikiniday! #DidYouKnow that the bikini was invented by Parisian engineer Louis Réard? It was first revealed #OnThisDay in 1946. https://t.co/loZSbqZKVy" / Twitter
![The Bikini's Inventor Guessed How Much It Would Horrify the Public | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine The Bikini's Inventor Guessed How Much It Would Horrify the Public | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ZYl7HSSIx2LG4ngLv3H9xZKATH8=/fit-in/1600x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/85/cf/85cfb374-ac0f-424f-ae36-316c633b78e5/bikini-470-wr.jpg)
The Bikini's Inventor Guessed How Much It Would Horrify the Public | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine
![Image of FASHION: BIKINI, 1949. - Model Wearing A Louis Reard Bikini. Photographed In France, 1949. From Granger - Historical Picture Archive Image of FASHION: BIKINI, 1949. - Model Wearing A Louis Reard Bikini. Photographed In France, 1949. From Granger - Historical Picture Archive](https://www.granger.com/wmpix/age/rue/0081257-FASHION-BIKINI-1949-Model-wearing-a-Louis-Reard-bikini-Photographed-in-France-1949.jpg)