Women's one-piece brown and yellow tie panel swimsuit
Maker
Robin Garland Australia
Date1970s
Object number00046717
NameSwimsuit
MediumSynthetic
DimensionsOverall: 585 x 300 x 24 mm
ClassificationsClothing and personal items
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from The Wardrobe Store Pty Ltd
DescriptionA women's one piece tie panel swimsuit designed by Robin Garland consisting of brown and yellow sections, and a brown and yellow bow on the proper right side.HistoryDuring the 1970s a new body aesthetic and physical culture emerged. Fashion dictated that mens and womens bodies had to be machine-tuned and perfectly sculpted with the aid of gym workouts, aerobics and body building which in turn saw swimwear stripped of is internal structuring which had previously given untoned bodies their shape.
Stretch fabrics used in swimwear took on satin glossy sheens, metalhc hues and generally became more vibrant. String bikinis became briefer and the thong, a unisex style brief emerged in Brazil and became increasingly popular.
Swimwear models were photographed with suntans and sun protection was low on a list of priorities. Having an all over tan reflected a more relaxed attitude to the body and a greater freedom in revealing it in public.
The disco dance culture influenced the design of women's one-piece swimsuits with colours such as canary yellow, shocking pink, turquoise, royal blue and purple gaining currency. Suits made from silky metallic elastane could be worn on and off the dance floor and for a short time swimsuits were worn as evening wear. Ultra thin shoulder straps accentuated the line of the shoulder while high cut legs were designed to make the legs look longer.SignificanceRobin Garland is significant as an Australian swimwear designer who was able to successfully sell her designs internationally as well as in Australia in the 1970s. Like Brian Rochford she stripped swimwear of its internal structuring to create suits that fused fashion and sport and demanded that the wearer have a well proportioned body. She pushed the boundaries of Australian swimwear design by making extremely brief swimwear, it was considered racy at the time but sold well in Australia and abroad.
