A major exhibition celebrating swimwear and swimming culture has opened at the Design Museum.
The exhibition, curated by Essex University research student Amber Butchart, features 200 items, including Pamela Anderson's iconic red Baywatch swimsuit and the costume worn by Black British swimmer Alice Dearing at the Tokyo Olympics.
The exhibition, open until August 17, is divided into three sections based on swimming locations: the pool, the lido, and natural water bodies.
It explores the cultural, political, and societal implications of swimming and swimwear.
Amber, who was inspired during the Covid-19 pandemic, said: "You can’t go swimming in a public space if you don’t have a swimsuit.
"So, it’s immediately getting into those questions of who has access and who is not given access."
The exhibition also highlights inclusivity, showcasing contemporary designers and architects who are improving accessibility, such as the UK's first beach huts purpose-built for people with disabilities and a range of swimwear designed for non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming people.
Amber, a fashion historian known for her appearances on the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee, added: "Obviously it’s a show about design and architecture and fashion, but there are so many social histories, and also wider global histories, that I wanted to try to get in as well."
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