Bikini, a tiny coral island in the Pacific Marshall Islands, is where the U.S. conducted atom bomb tests in the late 1940s. Four days after the A-bomb was exploded, a French designer introduced a scanty, two-piece bathing suit and called it the bikini. He believed it would cause a fashion explosion, and indeed it did.
Cologne (in German spelled Köln), is the city in Germany where cologne was first produced. Cologne is a scented liquid made of alcohol and various fragrant oils, similar to perfume.
Nîmes, France, is the source of denim. In French it was called serge de Nîmes, or “fabric from Nîmes,” and de Nîmes became “denim.”
Rhinestone (Bas-Rhin) is a district in France where rhinestones were first made. Rhinestones are colorless, artificial gems made of paste or glass.
Suede is the French pronunciation of Sweden, where this soft, velvety leather was first made.
Tuxedo is in Orange County, north of New York City. The tuxedo, a black formal men's dinner suit without “tails,” was first worn here.
