Orlebar Brown: The quintessence of swim shorts
There comes a time in the life of a man that we want that what we wear at the beach is not the same as when we were teenagers or young adults. I recently discovered the English brand Orlebar Brown, who has just set up a shop in the brand new Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, much to the delight of Montréalers, but they also have boutiques all over the world.
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 OB Classic swim shorts remain the original and best ‘short you can swim in’, offering something you can wear on the beach or by the pool, yet smart enough to wear to lunch or for a drink.
Based on the pattern of a pair of traditional men’s suit trousers, Orlebar Brown’s swim shorts were developed to feature a four-part shaped waistband, zip fly closure and side fasteners to adjust for the perfect fit. The core styles, known as Springer, Setter, Bulldog (you can see the Bulldog X Swim just down here) and Dane (after Brown’s love of dogs), still form the focus of the collection with new iterations each season. All OB swim shorts are guaranteed for five years for quality you can truly believe in.
The Bulldog X Swim from Orlebar Brown
Photo: Orlebar Brown
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, illustrating the luxury and grandeur of the Côte d’Azur in the 1950s, perfectly sum up Orlebar Brown’s way of life: sun, travels, happiness and good times. 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. In addition, they offer a Design Your Own service which enables you to create your own bespoke pair of photographic swim shorts using the #SnapShorts app in-store or online. This is an opportunity to have a unique shorts.
Photo: Orlebar Brown
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.
2017 brought Orlebar Brown’s 10th Anniversary, marking a new chapter in the evolution of this British success story. For 2019, it was James Bond, the ultimate male style icon that is featured in a capsule collection with a new one in 2023, in addition to the regular collection.
A brand to discover to stand out on the beach.
