Giving a short about the
OCEANS Vilebrequin embarks on a journey to clean up the past and build the future By KATIE LISTER
One drop of water creates a ripple effect. It may be tiny in size, but its impact can spread across the surface of the ocean. Can a pair of shorts make a big splash in helping to change the world for the better? It certainly can. Vilebrequin and non-profit organization Plastic Odyssey have teamed up to make a difference, one pair of swim trunks at a time. Their new special edition collaboration features a premium swim trunk made from upcycled marine plastics where proceeds from every pair goes toward cleaning up the past and building the future. We will get to the specific details short(ly) — pun intended. But first, let’s provide some backstory. Born in Saint-Tropez and renowned for bringing the elegant, fun, and seductive charm of the French Riviera to the world, Vilebrequin has been shaping the art of living at the beach since 1971. In 2021 it is popping the champagne to celebrate 50 years of swimsuit expertise. A milestone for CEO Roland Herlory — a proud optimist with a big love of sea turtles (the company’s iconic symbol) — who has served as captain since 2012. Continuing its growth in the Caribbean, the brand has launched a boutique in Saint Martin in LVMH Group’s Belmond La Samanna resort. Over the years the house has stood the test of time as beachgoers’ go-to luxury swimwear staple, through its timeless, high-quality tailoring, its playful colours and prints, and its sense of “joie de 34
vivre.” Like a fine wine, your love of Vilebrequin only gets better with age. With its rich history, this brand is looking to the future and taking action today to help to tackle challenges that our ecosystem faces. The people behind Vilebrequin have big hearts, a lot of soul and carry a strong sense of responsibility for the generations to come. Their sense of purpose and constant questioning lies deeply within the very fabric of the brand — literally and figuratively: While time has served the company well over the past five decades, since its debut it has proven to be unkind to the oceans. The global community has witnessed — and played an active role in — the increasingly devastating ocean plastic and pollution crisis. We have reached a breaking point: our precious sea life is gasping for air, decaying, drowning in plastic, and things are spiralling out of control. With Vilbrequin being so intimately intertwined with and indebted to the Mediterranean sea, where its odyssey began (the label would not exist today without the surf and sand as a source of inspiration), the team has felt a deep, growing sense of urgency to protect the oceans and the marine life that all life depends on. For some years now, Vilebrequin has been working to turn the tide on plastic pollution and to move in the right direction. Having a desire to continue spreading optimism and positive influence across the globe, this year the company proudly launched Fondation Vilebrequin, the house’s namesake non-
