Simply Abu Dhabi XI

2 1 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T he Speedo was never really the height of men’s swimwear fashion. Thank goodness for Vilebrequin. The French swimwear brand for men and boys was founded in 1971 in Saint Tropez and has wooed the world with its offbeat prints and vibrant designs. It began when the brand’s founder famously crafted the first pair from a checkered tablecloth at Saint-Tropez’s Café Sénéquier. Named for the French word meaning “crankshaft,” Vilebrequin has come to define boho beach luxury over the past four decades. As Brigitte Bardot arrived in the company’s hometown in 1971, the designers were working on a debut men’s collection worthy of the star-studded summer city. Today it has shop fronts in Paris, Beverly Hills, Cape Town, Milan, New York City, Beirut, Saint- Barthélemy, Porto Cervo, Rome and beyond. Inspired by surfers’ trunks, the French design team rejected the then-ubiquitous briefs, unflattering for all but the most chiselled of physiques, and introduced colour and originality. Using the same material as yacht sails – spinnaker canvas – the swimwear dries quickly and, printed with the wild figments of design imagination, make a style statement. There are easy ways to identify the Vilebrequin product. The fabric is exclusive to the brand, super soft with a cotton touch. The rear pocket is hand cut and positioned to align the pattern with maximumprecision, polyester mottled gray drawstrings are tipped with Vilebrequin engraved stainless zamac (zinc, aluminium and magnesium alloy), and an exclusive 100% cotton mesh liner also marks the brand. It remains a trusted and respected purveyor of men’s luxury swimwear. It has become the pinnacle in men’s swimming trunks and cleverly cashed in on the Daddy-son market, producing matching miniatures for little boys. Throughout its history, the brand has maintained its spirit and values, combining freedom and elegance. Vilebrequin wearers are suave and demanding. They want to combine casual sartorial swagger with humour, originality with impeccable taste. And they won’t compromise on quality. They’re at home on fine sandy beaches with a cocktail in hand and azure sea stretching out in front of them. Their families bathe in infinity pools overlooking sweeping vistas; they swim in freshwater pools hidden away from the beaten path. (Although 60 percent of clients are women who love to buy Vilebrequin for their family.) In 2011, to mark the company’s 40th anniversary, the design team created an Anniversary Edition Swimsuit limited to just 2,100 pairs. The cost? A cool $550. It formed a sort of photo album of signature and unique prints over the years and employed a modern printing method that increased the number of colours available exponentially.