The monokini was fashion designer Rudi Gernreich’s swimsuit of the future. The topless design, created in 1964, was controversial, making it difficult to find a model willing to be photographed wearing it. Ultimately only one image of the suit (taken from behind) was published, in Look magazine. At the urging of Look editor Susanne Kirtland, a wider selection of images appeared in Women’s Wear Daily and later in Life, where many American readers took note. Debates about the monokini and its implications for society spread across the country and the world. While never intended for mass production, more than three thousand monokinis were sold at New York department stores in the summer of 1964 alone; it is likely that only a fraction were worn in public. See the monokini in our exhibition “New York: 1962-1964,” on view through January 8, 2023. Also, Check out our IG stories to learn more about the garment! #NY6264 🎨: #RudiGernreich (@rudigernreich), Produced by Harmon Knitwear, “Monokini,” 1964. Kent State University Museum, Kent, OH. Gift of Leamond Dean (1999.022.0002). Courtesy of the Kent State University Museum.