Orlebar Brown: The quintessence of swim shorts

There comes a time in the life of a man when what he wears at the beach deserves the same consideration as what he wears to the office. Not necessarily more formal — but more intentional. Orlebar Brown, a brand I discovered in 2019, understood this long before most, and has spent nearly two decades proving that a swim short can be genuinely well-made, genuinely versatile, and genuinely worth the investment.

Directly from London

Based in London, Orlebar Brown was founded by Adam Brown and launched in March 2007 as a tailored approach to men’s swim shorts. The premise was straightforward but radical at the time: a short you could actually swim in, yet wear to lunch without apology. The OB Classic remains exactly that — not a swim short you happen to wear out, but a proper short engineered to perform in the water.

The construction reflects that ambition. Based on the pattern of a traditional men’s suit trouser, each pair features a four-part shaped waistband, zip fly closure, rear darts and signature nickel-effect side fasteners that allow for a precise, adjustable fit. Every pair is now crafted from over 60 components and made with recycled fabric — a quiet nod to sustainability that doesn’t compromise the tailored feel.

The collection is built around four core lengths: the Dane for those who prefer more coverage, the Bulldog at mid-length with a six-inch inseam (the most popular style), the Setter for a shorter tailored fit, and the Springer, form-fitting and the shortest of the four. All named after Adam Brown’s love of dogs, all sharing the same underlying architecture. The price point for the OB Classic starting around 400$ CA— a considered investment rather than an impulse purchase.

To celebrate their 5th Anniversary, Orlebar Brown pioneered the use of photographic prints on their hero swim shorts and partnered with the world-famous Hulton Getty Image Archive. The vintage photographs of Slim Aarons were a natural choice: he spent decades photographing the privileged at leisure — poolside in Palm Springs, on yachts in the Mediterranean, at villas on the Côte d’Azur. His images don’t just document wealth; they document a particular ease with it. Sun, travels, happiness and good times — that sensibility is exactly what Orlebar Brown bottles. In 2010, they progressed from beach to resort with a full range of holiday clothes that can also be incorporated into everyday wardrobes, including polos, chinos and shirts.

Who is the Orlebar Brown Man?

The Orlebar Brown man travels. He moves from the water to lunch without thinking twice about what he’s wearing — no cover-up, no change of clothes, no compromise. He values craft without needing to explain it. He’s the man who notices the construction of a waistband the same way he notices the cut of a suit. He chooses things that last, that hold up after five years in saltwater and sunlight — which is precisely why OB backs their shorts with a five-year guarantee. He’s not chasing trends; he’s building a wardrobe that works from Montréal to the Côte d’Azur, from the pool deck to the restaurant terrace. Sound familiar?

A British success story, now with French backing

2017 marked Orlebar Brown’s 10th Anniversary. A year later came a significant development: Chanel acquired the brand, bringing the infrastructure and standards of one of the world’s great luxury houses behind it. Adam Brown has remained involved — the founding vision and attention to craft have stayed intact, which matters. There is a long list of heritage brands that didn’t survive acquisition with their identity. Orlebar Brown is not yet one of them.

All Orlebar Brown swim shorts are guaranteed for five years against manufacturing defects, with repair or replacement covered. One practical note: shorts purchased in-store must be registered manually on the OB website to activate the guarantee — worth doing before they go in the summer bag.

From a poolside lightbulb moment to reality, Orlebar Brown has grown into a global brand with an ever-increasing number of international stores, an enviable list of stockists and a burgeoning expansion into ready-to-wear. The flagship store in Notting Hill is the epitome of all things Orlebar Brown; from the five metre-high palm tree to the wall of hero shorts, the holiday feeling that is intrinsic to Orlebar Brown’s DNA is always visible.

From the Burnham polo in cotton-silk knit to linen shirts with Capri collars, the resort wardrobe carries the same tailoring philosophy as the swim shorts — pieces that work poolside and at the dinner table without changing.

For the speed lovers, Orlebar Brown even has a collaboration with Automobili Lamborghini.

The James Bond Collaboration

Speaking of collaboration, the relationship between Orlebar Brown and James Bond is not a recent marketing exercise — it goes back further than most people realize. Adam Brown had 007 on the brain from the very beginning: the blue onesie worn by Sean Connery on the deck of the boat in Goldfinger was on the original mood board when he started Orlebar Brown in 2007. The connection became official years later, almost by accident. An Orlebar Brown swim short appeared on Daniel Craig’s Bond in Skyfall — something the brand did not know was going to happen, but which felt right.

The formal partnership between Orlebar Brown and EON Productions — the company behind the Bond franchise — goes back to 2018, and has since included designs and concepts drawn from Dr. No, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Live and Let Die, and beyond. Each collection is rooted in a specific film or anniversary, with pieces that take direct inspiration from costumes worn on screen rather than simply applying a 007 logo to an existing product.

The genesis of each collaboration grows out of scenes from the films that involve water — which aligns naturally with what Orlebar Brown does best. But Brown is clear that it’s not as simple as copying a costume: the inspiration has to come from the Bond film, while still reflecting an understanding of how things should sit or hang on the body today.

The most recent capsule, released in late 2024, marks what the brand calls the Golden Year — celebrating 50 years of The Man with the Golden Gun and 60 years of Goldfinger, with gold-plated hardware throughout, including OB x 007 embossed side adjusters on swim shorts and a gold-plated buckle on the towelling onesies reminiscent of the one worn by Sean Connery. The specific pieces change with each release, but the link between the two is consistent: a bold swagger and a refined sense of the debonair that is quintessentially 007 — and, in many ways, quintessentially Orlebar Brown too.

Where to find Orlebar Brown

For Montréalers, the options are honest rather than abundant. Holt Renfrew used to carry them, but not anymore. Harry Rosen carries the brand locally, though the selection is very limited — enough to get a sense of the product, but not the full range. For the complete experience, the nearest boutiques are in New York: Soho (this store is very small with not the greatest selection), Madison Avenue, East Hampton and Belmont Park.

The full collection, including the photographic editions and seasonal prints, is available on their website, link below, which ships to Canada.

A brand to discover to stand out on the beach.

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