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What would you spend on a bathing suit or bikini? $50? $100? $1,000. Whoa, you say. Forget the $1,000 thing. We agree. But if we told you there were bikinis out there worth millions of dollars, would you believe us? Maybe. Maybe not. And these things do get purchased, maybe not every day, but they do occasionally sell. And when they do, they make the news. Think newly divorced Tiger.
These are not exactly resort-ready, your every day spandex with a racerback. Mostly they are done, like outrageous haute couture outfits, more for publicity than for their wearability. Here are 10 of the most expensive bathing suits and bikinis ever. We go from thousands to millions.
Luna Mae Black Swimsuit - $16,200
This little number is adorned with pure gold trim. It's made to order, tailored to your exact measurements. Luna Mae is based in London. Apparently, the haute couture lingerie and swimwear design studio are doing a booming business. You need to call ahead and book a time to show up. It's that exclusive.
Unlike a number of pieces on this list, this little number is totally practical when it comes to beaching and swimming. Against all the odds, Luna Mae has gone, practically overnight, from start-up to well-established and successful business.
Gold Bikini - $23, 198
When we say gold, we mean gold. This little number dates back to 2007 and a Chinese exhibition. It did the trick and brought in the curious. They were flocking in to get a glimpse of it. The bikini was crafted from yellow gold, some 950 grams of it. It took four workers four months or so to complete it.
After the exhibition, it went to a shop to be sold. The last anybody heard it had not had any takers. What with inflation and all, you'd probably have to pay more than its $23,198 price in 2007.
Luna Mae Of London Black One-Piece - $64,000
Claudia Lambeth was studying law when she chucked it to start up Luna Mae in London. As we have said, they do bespoke lingerie and swimwear. That's right. They do make to measure underwear and bathing suits. You have to have an appointment to go into their place and have your "consultation".
This carefully crafted suit will cost you getting onto $64,000. It takes around one hundred hours to run this up. Oh, the 9-carat broach is included. The cover-up that goes with it is a bargain at $15,000.
Ann Middleton's White Swimsuit - $1 Million
OK, you're a jeweler who wants to get some publicity. Why not find a bathing suit, encrust it with jewels, hire a model and then get the press in. That's more or less what Australian jeweler Ann Middleton did. The simple white suit is made memorable by the addition of pearls and diamonds in all the right places.
Of course, it's no good in the water at the resort, but does Ann Middleton care? Not one little bit. As one commentator said, buying a beach would be cheaper.
Anamika Khanna's Bikini Top - $1.2 Million
In 2010, Indian design guru Anamika Khanna hooked up with ORRA diamonds. The result? This bikini top, or bustier. Of course, it was hand made, including attaching 500 carats worth of diamonds.
That's more than three pounds of diamonds before you add in the structural fabric and supports. You won't be surprised to hear it took six months to create. Cue the press release. Get the world press to roll up and photograph Malaika Arora Khan strutting her stuff. Wonder if she got to take it home?
Holiday Bikini Set - $4 Million
Enter Victoria's Secret and model Selita Ebanks. In 2007, she strutted Victoria's Secret runway wearing this nice little bikini set. Of course, she's the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, as well as Glamour and Vogue. But her claim to fame (and fortune) came from her work for Victoria's Secret. She was an Angel for four or five years.
What have we got here? Well, the tiny little thing has around 9000 gemstones very, very carefully attached to it. The stones are a mixed bag of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and yellow sapphires. It's a red and green delight.
Hearts Of Fire Diamond Bikini Set -$5.8 Million
Karolina Kurkova doesn't look very beach ready. But she does look good. This is another Victoria's Secret bikini set from 2006. What does it take to create something like this? Patience and money are all you need. The bikini top has around 2,000 diamonds. Notice the brooch? It was made with a 10-carat diamond.
Karolina made her name with Victoria's Secret and Vogue. She did a bit of acting, appearing on 30 Rock and a film called G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra. She played, wait for it, a cover girl. The acting thing didn't take off. These days she's counting her millions and chasing after her two kids.
Royal Bikini - $9 Million
Reportedly, this came with two bodyguards, presumably for the bikini, not the model Candace Swanepoel. It's gorgeous. But practical? Forget it. The South African model did her thing on the runway, as the photographers and filmmakers did their thing.
This little number dates from 2013. The red thing dangling down is a 53-carat ruby. Then there are the diamonds, rubies and yellow sapphires set in 18K gold. If you got into the water in this get-up, you probably sink without trace.
The Splendor Bikini - $11 Million
Back to Victoria's Secret. Gisele Bundchen got the nod to model this sensational bikini on the runway. There are diamonds, nearly 3,000 of them. The ruby count is twenty-two. It's all encased in 28-karat white gold. The dangly bit is a 101-carat diamond.
Fifteen or twenty years ago, Giselle Bunchen was one of the highest-paid models in the world. Then, in 2009, she married football legend Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. These days, she does ad campaigns, counts their money, and goes to the odd football game.
Susan Rosen Diamond Bikini - $27 Million
Designer Susan Rosen did this little number for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2012. It comes complete with 150-carats of perfect diamonds set in platinum. Model Molly Sims wore this very little piece for the issue. Rosen collaborates with the likes of Stella McCartney and has made pieces for stars like Elizabeth Taylor.
Like Luna Mae, her pieces are one-offs, custom made for the client. At this level, it's "client", not customer. Rosen's web site proclaims "the fine art of opulence". A newly divorced Tiger Wood bought it in 2010. No word on who the lucky girl was.
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