ORLEBAR BROWN RELEASES JAMES BOND-INSPIRED COLLECTION

Orlebar Brown
by Stephen Garner

Orlebar Brown Men’s resort wear brand Orlebar Brown has partnered with EON Productions for an exclusive collection of four swim shorts using iconic poster art from the James Bond archive.

The first installment of a continuing partnership with EON Productions, who produce the James Bond films, combines artwork from Dr. No, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Live And Let Die with Orlebar Brown’s signature swim shorts. Each pair comes complete with a unique 007 woven label and a limited-edition waterproof swim bag to store wet shorts or poolside essentials.

On the very first moodboard for Orlebar Brown, founder Adam Brown pinned a picture of Sean Connery wearing pale blue shorts from the first James Bond film, Dr. No (1962). The tailored construction and elegant shade represented the epitome of Riviera style, which became the foundation for Orlebar Brown’s tailored swimwear and subsequent full resort wear offering.

Eleven years since Orlebar Brown’s launch, the James Bond inspiration has come full circle. Sharing qualities such as British heritage, a refined male aesthetic and a sense of adventure, the partnership unites two trailblazers in men’s style for a striking collaboration.

Orlebar Brown Both companies also have a shared penchant for Bulldogs; Orlebar Brown’s Bulldog swim shorts are their original and best-selling style, named so because of the founder’s love of dogs, while M’s china bulldog in Skyfall and Spectre plays a significant role in the storyline.

As a result, Orlebar Brown has chosen to use the apt mid-length Bulldog style, featuring side-fasteners for a personalized fit, quick-drying fabric and mesh lining. The shorts are a suitably stylish yet functional choice for action or adventure and the memorabilia factor is sure to appeal to die-hard 007 fans. Using four images of artwork from the James Bond archive, the collection incorporates summery shades of blue and text from the original print material to maintain a vintage feel.

Available exclusively at Orlebar Brown in-store and online for $395 each from summer 2018.