Suspended in a glass case at The Design Museum, Pamela Anderson’s fiery red Baywatch swimsuit—high-cut, scoop-necked, and instantly recognizable—commands attention. The iconic one-piece, worn by Anderson during her 1990s tenure as lifeguard C.J. Parker, is now the star of Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style, an exhibition tracing the evolution of swimwear from the 1920s to today.
A Symbol of ’90s Culture—Reclaimed
Curated by fashion historian Amber Butchart, the exhibition frames Anderson’s suit as both a cultural artifact and a relic of gendered expectations. “It haunted me,” Butchart told CNN, noting its exorbitant insurance value. “This was the ’90s ideal: how women were ‘supposed’ to look under the male gaze.” Yet Anderson, she argues, has since reclaimed her narrative—eschewing glamour for activism, authoring a vegan cookbook, and championing a makeup-free public persona.
The suit’s display avoids a traditional mannequin, instead floating mid-air as if defying the body it once defined. “We didn’t want to recreate her proportions,” Butchart explained. “It’s an object with its own legacy.”
From Nuclear Bikinis to Inclusive Design
The exhibition spans a century of swimwear, from 1920s woolen unitards to the 1946 bikini—named for the “explosive” impact of its debut, coinciding with atomic tests at Bikini Atoll. Butchart highlights swimwear’s social power: a 100-year-old Margate Corporation rental suit underscores class divides, while contemporary designs from Beefcake Swimwear (gender-neutral) and Girls Chronically Rock (adaptive for disabilities) reflect modern inclusivity.
“Swimwear enables access to public spaces,” Butchart said. “Without it, you’re denied that experience.”
The Pressure to Perform
Archival ads reveal enduring beauty pressures: a 1925 Zip Depilatory cream ad promises “soft, adorable” skin, while Vogue later decreed bare legs must be hair-free. Anderson’s suit, with its high-cut legs and sudden ’90s one-piece revival, became a paradox—both a male fantasy and a trendsetter. “The magic of Pamela,” Butchart noted, “made it fashionable again.”
Anderson’s Own Voice
A placard quotes Anderson on her recent swimwear line with Frankies Bikinis: “I want practical designs, not just beach photos.” For Butchart, this ethos made exhibiting the suit possible. “We wouldn’t have felt comfortable showcasing it earlier,” she said. “Now, it’s on her terms.”
Splash! runs at The Design Museum until August 17.
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