Pamela Anderson, ‘explosive’ bikinis and the changing tides of swimwear style

The actor’s red ‘Baywatch’ swimsuit is one of the most infamous on-screen uniforms of the ’90s. It’s now on display in an exhibition mapping changing swimwear tastes.

High-cut, fire truck red and with a scoop neckline that seemed designed for slow-motion cameras, Pamela Anderson’s “Baywatch” swimsuit — worn by the actor during her tenure on the US TV series from 1992 to 1997 — is one of the most infamous on-screen uniforms of that decade. Now, the storied swimming costume is on display at “Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style” — a new exhibition at The Design Museum in London, running until August 17 — where it is suspended in a glass case on an invisible mannequin, albeit with erect nipples. It’s the crown jewel of the exhibition, which maps the changing tastes and fashion of swimwear through the ages. “This kind of thing haunted me,” said curator and fashion historian Amber Butchart, nodding at Anderson’s red swimsuit, which, she noted, was one of the costliest pieces to insure. “It was very much part of that ‘90s culture (which said) ‘This is how you’re supposed to look,’” Butchart told CNN ahead of the opening, citing the pervasive male gaze that dictated the public perception of female celebrities. “I think (Anderson has) done such a great job of turning that around and reclaiming her own image.” Anderson began her acting career on “Baywatch” as C. J. Parker — a lifeguard, volleyball coach and beach café owner from California — who was rarely seen in little more than a tiny red one-piece, with an orange life raft tucked under her arm. Anderson has since worked hard to diversify her public image: writing a plant-based cookbook, going proudly make-up-free on the red carpet and making her arthouse debut with a leading role in Gia Coppola’s 2025 indie film “The Last Showgirl”. But many will remember Anderson most for her role on “Baywatch”, of which she is widely credited with making the most watched TV show in the world, with over 1 billion viewers from more than 140 countries tuning in each week at its height. Many international broadcasters would only buy episodes that Anderson featured in, a condition that was nicknamed “Pamela Clauses,” according to her memoir. In 2019, to honour the TV series’ 30th anniversary, Pantone created a shade called “Baywatch red.” All the bathing suits worn in “Baywatch” were custom-made for each actor by the Californian sportswear brand TYR. “They could highlight whatever they wanted to highlight,” said Butchart, referring to the actors’ physiques. So when it came to exhibiting the clothes, a traditional showcase display wouldn’t cut it. “We didn’t really want to put it on a mannequin, unless it was the exact proportions of Pamela Anderson,” she told CNN. Instead, the red one-piece hangs in the air — an object in its own right, divorced from the body that brought it fame.