The Spirit of Saint-Tropez

Tucked into a small café in the luxurious European beach town of St. Tropez,  Fred Prysquel scribbled a swimsuit design on the corner of his tablecloth. That simple sketch, inspired by the Euro-chic holiday culture of the French Riviera, would become the iconic swimwear brand, Vilebrequin.

Vilebrequin founder, Fred Prysquel.

Prysquel, a fan of motor racing, introduced Vilebrequin (‘crankshaft’ en français) in 1971 and offered an original print and tailored design that became an instant success as it caught the fancy of vacationers worldwide. Cut from spinnaker sailcloth, the shorts remain innovative with their quick-drying qualities and double-seam reinforcement that hold up against the ocean, summer-sun, and time.

Now offering both women’s and children’s bathing suits, Vilebrequin’s iconic sea turtle insignia is recognized in vacation hotspots around the world and claims its throne at the top of the luxury swimwear market.

Reflecting on how the brand has achieved such renowned recognition, Roland Herlory, the company’s CEO, believes it is “the quality of fabrics, the level of creation, and the history. We do not come from a short story; we have a long story, the French Riviera spirit of the 70s; the history brings depth…The client buying a Vilebrequin suit is buying fantasy and holidays; he is buying something out of the business life he has to live day-to-day.”

Fans of the brand have expanded from swanky beach goers to a plethora of celebrities including Prince William, Mark Wahlberg, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Harry Styles, Ben Affleck, all the way down to the tiniest of tots in the Kardashian clan.

Mark Wahlberg, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Mason Disick, and Prince William don Vilebrequin swim trunks.

NRO Nantucket (2 Straight Wharf) hosts our Swim Trunk Show this weekend, July 31st to August 2nd. Look around town for our swim trunk models for a chance to win a $250 Vilebrequin gift card!

An OB Way of Life

Tailoring and craftsmanship doesn’t end at the suiting platform of double vents and peak lapels. Adam Brown, the eye behind the sartorial lens of swimwear must-have Orlebar Brown, believes in this ideal. The British photographer turned resort wear designer recalls how he accidentally stumbled upon his venture:

“In 2005 I went on holiday to celebrate a friends 40th birthday in Rajasthan. There were 30 people in the group aged between 25 – 50 years old. Most of them worked in design, took an interest in clothing – but were not obsessed by fashion.

Around the pool, the women in the group looked great, but the men did not.

All were wearing brightly patterned, baggy boxer short styles, briefs or board shorts. The idea for Orlebar Brown became clear when from sitting by the pool, we had to change to have lunch in the bar.”

Launched in 2007, OB has quickly become one of the most sought after swimwear brands in resort wear today. Designed to go from the pool to the streets or vice-versa, some of the looks – quite literally – take inspiration from luxe holiday locales as seen in the work of iconic photographers Slim Aarons and Dennis Hallinan. The photographs selected represent a period of vintage glamor in the 1950s and 1960s, when the Riviera cemented its status as the playground for the rich and famous.

Cut and sewn from a 17-piece pattern of traditional men’s trousers, all four lengths of ‘shorts you can swim in’ are free of elastic waistbands and allow for a perfectly tailored fit with adjustable side fasteners and hidden metal popper closures imported from Italy. Made with French-sourced 100% polyamide, they are fast drying so that its wearers can move from surf to turf in minimal time. Each swimwear item is tested for light, rub, salt water, and up to 50mg of chlorine per liter, ensuring that an Orlebar Brown purchase will last through years of vacationing.

Sating further demand, Orlebar Brown now has a women’s line and a full lifestyle based collection. In March, OB released a 20-piece exclusive collaboration with vibrant pattern purveyor Emilio Pucci.

Vacationers across the world are not the only ones seen wearing Orlebar Brown swimwear. Celebrities such as Jay-Z, Paul McCartney, Ryan Reynolds, Gerard Butler, and even designer Marc Jacobs have all been spotted wearing the Brown brand.

Experience the OB way of life and find your fit here or at any of our NRO locations.

Consider this your personal invite to our Fourth of July party with Orlebar Brown and luxury eyewear brand Cutler and Gross on Friday, July 3rd at our Nantucket store.