The Bikini

Abstract

The Bikini is the story of Louis Reard--the inventor of the bikini in the 1940s. Louis is awkward and uncharismatic, and the death of his mother, Marceline, exacerbates this insecurity as she leaves him with Marceline's Lingerie and Garments, the small French boutique beneath the Reard residence. Her business is failing and on the brink of bankruptcy. Louis must reinvent the company, but also himself. He must embrace and accept a side of himself that he has locked away since his youth. In this way, the bikini is not only a physical garment, but also a manifestation of Louis' self identity and aspirations.