Olympic diving champion Tom Daley’s iconic tiny trunks from the 2020 Tokyo Games—along with a hand-knitted jumper he crafted himself—are set to be major highlights of Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style. The exhibition, held at the Design Museum in Kensington, West London, opens this Friday, March 28, and will run until August 17.
Moving from the 1920s when swimwear began to be advertised for sport rather than bathing, the exhibition explores the evolution of swimming through a social, cultural, and technological lens.
Bringing together over 200 objects, the standout pieces include Tom Daley’s trunks, as well as a selection of bold men’s Speedos from the 1980s and the first Olympic solo swimming gold medal won by a British woman. Also on display is the infamous LZR Racer swimsuit, which was banned for providing advantages, as well as one of the earliest surviving examples of a bikini.
A deep dive into aquatic fashion wouldn’t be complete without a look at the venues that have hosted history-making moments. Visitors can view a detailed architectural model of the Zaha Hadid-designed London 2012 Aquatics Centre, an iconic site of Olympic competition.
Beyond fashion and sport, Splash! explores swimming’s influence on identity and representation. The exhibition features suits by Rebirth Garments, a brand specialising in custom-made gender-nonconforming wearables designed for non-binary, trans, disabled, and neurodiverse individuals.
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Additionally, displays will examine more mythological connections to water, showcasing interpretations of merfolk, sea people, water spirits, and nymphs across cultures.
Adding a touch of Hollywood glamour, Canadian-born actress and model Pamela Anderson, 57, lends her Baywatch swimsuit to the exhibit. Anderson, who recently portrayed veteran showgirl Shelly Gardner in The Last Showgirl, remains a pop culture icon tied to swimwear’s most famous moment on screen.
From high-performance gear to groundbreaking fashion statements, Splash! offers a fascinating look at how swimwear has shaped and been shaped by society over the past century.
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