The ivory bikini worn by actress Ursula Andress in James Bond’s Dr. No is set to fetch US$500,000 (AU$691,658) at a Los Angeles auction next month, according to auction house Profiles in History.

“She is the first Bond girl and she comes out of the ocean wearing this ivory coloured bikini, and really that is one of the most memorable scenes in the entire Bond franchise,” Profiles in History auctioneer, Brian Chanes said. 

“Actually, truly, if you were to search it on the web, I mean it is the most famous bikini in the world.”

Back in 1962, Andress, now 84, played Honey Ryder, who is widely known as the first ‘Bond girl’. She even referred to the ivory bikini as the “secret to her success”.

“As a result of starring in Dr. No as the first Bond girl, I was given the freedom to take my pick of future roles, and to become financially independent,” Andress said in 2001. 

“My entrance in the film wearing the bikini on that beautiful beach seems to now be regarded as a classical moment in cinema, and made me world famous as The Bond Girl.”

Ryder wore it as she emerged from the ocean with a knife tucked into the belt. She was holding two large seashells, and accused Bond, played by Sean Connery, of taking shells from the beach.

The two-piece bikini was constructed using Andress’ own under-wired bra covered in ivory cotton. It was designed by Andress herself and the Dr. No director, Terence Young. 

The bikini last sold at auction for US$45,000 back in 2001 to Planet Hollywood co-founder Robert Earl, and will go under the hammer again on 12 November. 

This article was extract from yahoo! news