Description
An original girls sized 6X monokini with a bandeau top bathing suit designed by Rudi Gernreich, circa 1964.
Rudi Gernreich was an American Designer born in Austria, Vienna in 1922 and died in Los Angeles in 1985. Gernreich’s topless bathing suit was one of the most sensational, shocking, and innovative of its time. Not many were produced in girls sizes 4X, 6X, and 8X, and they seldom come to market, most are held in museums or private collections. An example can found in the collection of The Costume Institute at The Met in NYC.
Made of a wool jersey knit in navy blue with a bright orange bandeau top. The top is threaded through elastic bands and fastens in the back with two clear plastic buttons. The bottom is lined with a white cotton crotch.
Never one to follow the crowd, Rudi Gernreich designed fashion that was shocking as well as ground breaking. Working predominately in knitwear, he later included vinyl and plastics. His “monokini” or topless bathing suit design of 1964 made headlines, bringing his fashions into the spotlight. Following this was a series of innovations, such as the “pubikini”, the thong bathing suit, and the collection of “UNISEX” garments. As a designer, Gernreich consistently challenged the boundaries of fashion.
From the New York Times – October 16, 1964: Rudi Gernreich, the California designer whose topless swimsuit caused a furor last summer, is turning his hand to children’s swimsuits. They will be made by the Regal Knitwear Company and available in January for resort wear.
The orange tag reads: Rudi Gernreich – Designed Exclusively for Regal.
17 inches from the top of the shoulder to the crotch. 8 inches across the hips 10.5 inches across the bust.
In incredible condition with the original label.
