Micheline Bernardini



Micheline Bernardini (born 1927) was a former nude dancer at the Casino de Paris before being chosen by Louis Réard to model the first modern-day bikini on July 5, 1946 at Piscine Molitorin Paris. ==The first bikini[edit] == Réard could not find a model who would dare to wear his design. He ended up hiring Bernardini, a 19-year-old nude dancer from the Casino de Paris as his model.[1] [2]  That bikini, a string bikini with a g-string back made out of 30 square inches (194 cm2 ) of cloth with newspaper type printed across, was "officially" introduced at a fashion event at Piscine Molitor, a popular public pool in Paris. Her photographs from the show and stories of the event were widely publicized by the press. The Herald Tribune alone ran nine stories on the event.[3]  The bikini was a hit, especially among men, and Bernardini received over 50,000 fan letters.[4] ==Personal life[edit] == Bernardini later moved on to perform at the Tivoli Theatre and was reported in newspapers as appearing in wild students' parties.