Why These $800 Swimming Trunks Are Worth The Price

Even men with the means to afford really luxurious things might balk at the idea of paying $780 for a pair of swimming trunks. After all, $780 is a great price for a good leather jacket or a pair of bench made, Goodyear-welted English brogues. Spending that much on a pair of shorts that you’re going to soak in chlorine and salt all summer seems almost foolhardy. But Roland Herlory, CEO of the 45-year-old French swimwear and clothing brand Vilebrequin, is quick to defend the cost of the embroidered swimming trunks he’s offering this season—and even quicker to dismiss the notion that their price is a little too high. “I do not believe that quality is expensive,” Herlory told GQ. “At the end, quality is cheap if you can keep a product for a long time.” To achieve that longevity, artisans in Italy, Spain, and France have to flex their expertise to get the trunks just right. Here’s how they come together. Read more at GQ.