Women's Mambo Goddess bikini

Maker Mambo Graphics Pty Ltd

Designer Marcelle Lunam

Date2000

Object numberV00030768

NameSwimsuit

MediumPoly elastane

DimensionsOverall: 260 x 330 mm, 0.04 kg
Clothing size: 10

ClassificationsClothing and personal items

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionDesigned by Marcelle Lunam for the Australian surf clothing brand Mambo, this Mambo Goddess Planet Jam bikini features the iconic 'Gone Red' fabric pattern used in Mambo's summer 2000 range. The triangle style top is fastened at the back with a clear plastic clip and paired with full brief bottoms. HistoryThe two piece swimsuit, made famous by starlets such as Ava Gardner, emerged during the war time years of the 1940s. Its modest design was less about a motivation to shock, than fabric saving necessity. The two piece of this period usually covered the navel, unlike the more daring bikini that was to gain widespread popularity in the 1960s. The bikini marked a reaction to the constraints of heavily structured swimsuits popular in the 1940s and 1950s. It represented freedom, with the body exposed rather than dominated by the swimsuit. The release of beach movies such as 'Gidget' and 'How to Stuff a Wild Bikini' during this period also played their part in inspiring a following. From the late 1990s, Australia saw a wave of emerging swimwear labels with bikini styles influenced by design trends from the 1940s to the 1970s. Dramatic prints were a signature theme. Contemporary Australian swimwear design is now highly regarded around the world, and seasonal collections reported on eagerly by the international fashion press.SignificanceThis bikini is a representative example of the beachwear fashions designed in Australia for Mambo Goddess in 2000. The same year Mambo designed the Australian athletes’ uniforms for the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.