MIAMI — HistoryMiami Museum is launching a new exhibit just in time for bathing suit season, focusing on the fascinating relationship between swimwear evolution and South Florida’s growth over the past century.
Titled “Waves of Style: Swimwear Through the Decades,” the exhibit opened its doors on Saturday and invites visitors until October 5. It presents around 50 historic pieces of swimwear drawn from the museum’s vast collection of over 2,000 textiles.
The exhibit offers a captivating and immersive experience for attendees to delve into the history and transformation of swimwear. It traces the journey from the cumbersome wool suits of the early 20th century, which were legally required in many areas, to today’s revealing modern swimsuits.
Natalia Crujeiras, CEO and Executive Director of HistoryMiami, noted that Miami offers a unique backdrop for such an exhibition as both an influencer and a product of beach culture. “From social change movements to a hub for enjoyment and creativity, the beach is woven into Miami’s fabric,” Crujeiras commented.
The exhibit also highlights significant figures like Jane Fisher, the wife of Miami Beach developer Carl G. Fisher. In the 1910s, Jane Fisher set trends by abandoning traditional bathing suits—complete with long skirts, stockings, and caps—in favor of Miami Beach’s pioneering form-fitting swimsuits. While initially shocking to the public, the style swiftly gained favor. Carl G. Fisher capitalized on this by using photos of “Bathing Beauties” to market Miami Beach nationwide.
It’s not just women who faced pressures on swimwear modesty in the early 20th century. It wasn’t until the 1930s that men’s topless swimwear became widely accepted, thanks in part to Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, who debuted his bare chest as Tarzan in a series of films between 1932 and 1948. Many of these films were at least partially filmed in Florida, tying Weissmuller to the region well before he became synonymous with the Tarzan role, having worked as a swim instructor at Miami’s Biltmore Hotel.
Crujeiras added, “The design and function of swimwear mirror pivotal shifts in how we perceive identity, gender roles, cultural expression, and even the notion of personal freedom.”