Busting out all over

Busting out all over

Speaking of, uh, sacks, don’t look now, but the Speedo is back. For men. We told you not to look.

According to an article by Max Berlinger in the New York Times, skimpy swimsuits for men – which they refer to as “briefs” rather than the brand name Speedo or the more crude “banana hammock” or “mankini” – are making a splash this summer. Brands from Zara to Gucci are getting in on the action, with prices ranging from $30 for a basic men’s Speedo to $950 for a red little number by Miu Miu (which, by our calculations, comes out to about $25 per square inch of fabric.)

The trend has also caught the attention of upscale publications, with Cultured magazine featuring actor Walton Goggins (of “Django” and most recently, “White Lotus” fame) on its spring cover in a fluorescent yellow Speedo. The photo prompted GQ to predict briefs will have a “breakout summer” – hopefully not in a literal way. The Guardian and CNN have also reported on the resurgence.

Douglas Conklyn, senior vice president of global design at Speedo, said the attention being paid lately to swim briefs has reached levels seen only during the Olympics.

 “This Walton Goggins moment has certainly gotten Speedo back in the conversation,” Conklyn told the Times. “It’s putting it in a context with beautiful fashion photography, on beautiful people.”

Long the domain of Europeans, gay men and, of course, athletes, the latest resurgence is notable in that it seems to be crossing over to straight men as well.

Swedish brand CDLP, owned by Christian Larson and Andreas Palm, told the Times their swim brief is as popular as their trunks, accounting for 25-30% of men’s swimwear sales.

Larson said there has “absolutely been a culture shift” around swim briefs. Palm added, “I have friends that I went to business school with who are working in private equity, and they were all in our swim briefs,” he said. “I don’t think they would’ve gone for that 10 years ago.”

This season, after years of fielding requests, men’s wear designer Todd Snyder also began offering a swim brief. Snyder’s Mykonos brief ($98) is sold in three colors and has an inside pocket for small items like keys. He said he was surprised by its success. “It’s been doing killer,” he said, competing “neck and neck” with the trunks he sells.

Granted, the look is not for everybody, he concedes. “I think I’m past that,” the 57-year-old Snyder told the Times. “Those days are gone.”

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