To modern eyes, though, the most striking thing about Reard's prototype is not how small it is, but how large. The briefs trace a triangle that extends to 2.5cm below the navel. At celebrity hangouts Club 55 and Nikki Beach, and nearby Key West, nothing comes close to these proportions. One woman has accessorized her white tanga briefs with nothing more than an orange towel and a determined set of nipples pointing sunward. There is little black here: "I don't like black bikinis," says Eva Sjoquist, who is wearing pink and turquoise and owns a further four. "Not at all. I don't like black in the summer. I want light colors."
Those who seek the safety of a slab of dark color should veer instead to chocolate brown, the best seller at Kiwi on rue Gambetta -- as long as, while in St Tropez, its plainness is ameliorated with huge buckles or, better still, rhinestones. And for those who already have a strong tan, of course, there is white, as ventured by Claudia Bragliani. A student at Nice university, she owns 10 bikinis, always buys triangle tops with a tie-neck, and always in a solid color, because "I think it suits my body."
So does any of this amount to a St. Tropez look? "Yes," says Sanja Jandric. "The people here have courage to be what they are not at work. Here they can use their imagination. St Tropez wakes up something in people, an exuberance."
She points to a jungle-print bikini in mock suede as a classic example of the St. Tropez look. A tiger pounces from the left bosom, the gorilla has crystals for eyes, and the zebra prancing across the front triangle owes his stripes to rows of black and white beads.
"People look to St. Tropez for something special," she says. "They all have maybe 10 bathing suits from last year, so it always has to be something new."
Of course, beachwear is not just a matter for the beach but the pool, too. At Hotel Byblos, up a steep hill from the port, the sunbathers wishing to be seen are provided with concrete platforms that elevate them above lounger-level. Isabelle Gainche, Byblos's director of sales, marketing and communications, has bad news for women, who spend twice as much on one-piece costumes than two pieces. What would one need to look in place by the pool come July when the fashion crowd arrives? "Bikini. Two pieces. Yes, yes, definitely," she says. "A cowboy hat. Sunglasses, of course. Very large. Bigger than yours. The shoe is a flip-flop. And the mobile also has to be very spicy. And a pareo to match your bikini; if it doesn't match it's no good."
She pauses to admit one last thought. "It's very interesting. The people who come here are all nice-looking people. Nice," she explains, "physically."
So one last accessory for the right kind of bikini: the right kind of body.
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