60’s Midcentury Bombshell Leopard Nylon Bikini by Vanity Fair

32 D and size S bottoms

Elastic waist, two ties on each hip

12” unstretched 15” stretched

“ Like many lingerie companies, Vanity Fair spent the WWII years making parachutes. After the war was over they turned increasingly to the use of nylon and in 1948 announced that they would be using nylon exclusively for their products. 1948 was also the year in which the owners closed the Reading mill, due to efforts to unionize the mill. The 475 workers were left jobless and the machinery was shipped to another Vanity Fair mill in Alabama.

Vanity Fair’s decision to use only nylon allowed them to work on the development of the new fabric. In 1949 they found a way to permanently pleat nylon. During the 1950s they introduced new colors and even prints. In 1953 the long term bestselling leopard print was introduced and it was soon followed by other prints, including a zebra stripe and a butterfly print. “ - excerpt from Vintage Fashion Guild

This item is sold from an excellent, highly rated vintage boutique in West Palm Beach, Florida.