This work gets down the women s bathing suit evolution in the city of Rio de Janeiro from perspective of design, with emphasis on aspects of culture and textile technology, considering their implications for the development of these garments. The used technics were literature review, photo and, especially, analysis of digitalized newspapers and magazines from National Library of Brazil site. Brazil is the world s largest beachwear consumer market and supplies almost all of the domestic demand. The decision to approach the female bathing suit is based in the representativeness of this public in this consumer market. The time period analyzed is from 1808, when the Portuguese royal family settle down at Rio de Janeiro, what stimulate the spread of fashion and sea bathing therapy, and conclude in 1946, when the bikini is launched in France. Despite the strong cultural components, the changes observed in it fashion are also fruit of the textile technology evolution, especially those related to the elastomeric fibers, that allowed the creation of more adherent styles. This research circumscription to the Rio de Janeiro territory is based on two factors: the political, economical and cultural relevance of the city to the country and its cultural identity, markedly a cosmopolitan seaside, symbolized by the South Zone of Rio. The observed changes results from cultural and textile technological aspects, principally from those that influenced the bathing suit reduction and the increase of its elasticity and adherence to the body. This study contributes to fill a gap in research about so relevant market in Brazil.