Ms Lesley Wilson
Lesley is currently undertaking PhD studies exploring the linkages between moving images and the city of the Gold Coast.
Alluring Bikini Girls: Luring the Tourist Dollar
The bikini is perhaps the most iconic representation of the Gold Coast. Since its creation in the 1940's, beautiful bikini attired girls have epitomised the Gold Coast. Although initially a French invention, Gold Coast fashion designer, Paula Stafford, became one of the bikini's chief promoters, to the extent that both she and the Gold Coast have become synonomous with the bikini. This was clearly evident at a recent Gold Coast Arts exhibiton, which was promoted as being opened by Paula 'Bikini' Stafford. During the 1960s, Paula Stafford, together with the Gold Coast mayor, Sir Bruce Small led several successful marketing campaigns, both within Australia and overseas of bikini-attired girls whose major role was to encourage tourism to the Gold Coast. There is no denying the impact of Paula Stafford's innovative marketing campaigns, and the subsequent increase in travel to the Gold Coast region. It is largely due to her innate ability to sell the illusion of a Gold Coast, inundated with stunningly beautiful bikini-clad women, that has significantly contributed to the formative image of the Gold Coast, as a place of sun, surf, sand and sex. This paper seeks to explore the impact of the bikini on the socio/political and economical arenas of the Gold Coast.
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