Celebrating women
From Bond bikinis to sleek one-piece wonders, swimwear makes a statement like no other – as proved by these ultimate beach icons
The right swimming costume has a power of its own.
A sensational swimsuit can skyrocket a star’s career faster than the rest of us can say ‘another biscuit, please’. Ursula Andress’ white-belted bikini, Bo Derek’s nearly-nude number, Halle Berry’s zesty Bond two-piece… all were culture-defining cossies.
Here, we salute the bathing goddesses we most definitely wouldn’t want to sit next to by the pool.
JERRY HALL
The Texan supermodel rose to fame in the mid 70s – not least because of her starring role on the cover of Roxy Music’s album Siren. With her endless legs and lustrous blonde hair, Jerry has always been the perfect swimwear model, as in her classic beach shot (left). Now 66 and married to Rupert Murdoch, the ex-wife of Mick Jagger and mum of four still looks fabulous in one-piece swimsuits, and doesn’t shy away from bikinis either.
BO DEREK
Bo rose to fame in 1979 playing Jenny, a newlywed whose beauty becomes an obsession for Dudley Moore in hit comedy 10. Her beachside look – braided hair and one-piece – was an instant fashion hit. ‘There’s something so timeless, almost mysterious, about a simple nude one-piece,’ Bo said. ‘Had my character worn a red or a black bikini, it would have felt too contemporary to create that sense of fantasy.’
FARRAH FAWCETT
Fast-tracked from heaven as one of TV’s Charlie’s Angels, Farrah’s wholesome beauty made her one of the faces of the 70s. She launched a game-changing look with that tousled, flicked-up hair, as golden as her tan, and whatever Farrah wore, we wanted it too.
She made $5,000 per Angels episode, but earned $400,000 in royalties from posing in a red swimsuit for a poster.
MARILYN MONROE
The Gentlemen Prefer Blondes screen siren couldn’t help but ooze sex appeal, and when she donned swimwear, even mermaids were jealous of her curves.
‘I think sexuality is only attractive when it’s natural and spontaneous,’ the actor said, and whether MM’s sporting a white bikini or one-piece, who could disagree?
URSULA ANDRESS
Bond hero Honey Ryder accessorised her dazzling white bikini with a hunting knife. It was tucked into a belt borrowed by actor Ursula from a sailor. The scene from 1962’s Dr. No, where Honey meets Sean Connery‘s James Bond on a Jamaican beach, has become one of the top iconic film images. ‘This bikini made me into a success,’ said Ursula.
BARBARA WINDSOR
Babs’ famous reveal in Carry on Camping is a memorable one. In the 1969 film, a hook was attached to her bikini top so it could be hoicked off with a fishing rod. In the 1990s, the bikini wa
