The Evolution of the Bikini in Photos - From the 1950s to the Future (GALLERY)

In the decades the bikini has been around, it’s become an iconic piece of fashion. From retro Brigitte Bardot’s days on the Cote d’Azur, to the $30 million dollar bikinis of 2008, the two piece swimsuits have changed dramatically despite their basic design principal.

The first image shows designs from the Hosa Cup 4th China Swimwear Design Contest in March. The gallery also highlights the evolution of the bikini, following it from the creation of the first two-piece bathing suit in 1946 to futuristic designs of the future, such as the solar powered bikini. Included are retro movie photos such as BB in the 1950s flick, ‘And God Created Woman’ and the original Bond bombshell, Ursula Andress in the 1962 James Bond ‘Dr. No.’ movie. Also featured is a 1964 Sports Illustrated cover, followed by Raquel Welch in the 1966 movie In One Million Years BC and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in 1983 as well as a few modern day celeb bikini shots. The gallery ends with two of today’s hottest supermodels, Gisele Bundchen and Kate Moss.