The burkini, the turbulent history of a controversial swimsuit

Is the burkini an oxymoron?

Contraction of the words burqa, integral veil of Afghan origin covering the face, imposed by the Taliban at the end of the 1990s;

and bikini, two-piece swimsuit, also first banned from French beaches in 1949 because it was considered indecent, before becoming a symbol of women's liberation in the 1960s, it never ceases to fuel passionate debates in France.

This bathing suit, consisting of a tunic, leggings, and a hijab (scarf), covers the entire body, leaving only the face, hands and feet visible.

Read also

Intended for Muslim women wishing to bathe in a “modest” outfit, it was designed in 2004 by the Australian stylist of Lebanese origin Aheda Zanetti.

The latter says she got the idea while watching her 11-year-old niece struggle to play netball (a seven-player basketball variant) with her hijab.

She launched her company Ahiida in 2004, with the first models marketed a few months later…

This article is for subscribers only.

You have 69% left to discover.

Cultivating your freedom is cultivating your curiosity.

Subscription without obligation

1€ THE FIRST MONTH

Already subscribed?

Login