Vilebrequin
IndustryRetail
FoundedSaint Tropez, France
1971 (1971)
FounderFred Prysquel
HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
Key people
Fred Prysquel
Loïc Berthet
Roland Herlory
ProductsSwim wear, Resort wear, Accessories
ParentG-III Apparel Group
Websitewww.vilebrequin.com
Vilebrequin, King's Road, London, 2022

Vilebrequin is a French luxury brand specializing in swimwear and ready-to-wear for men and women.[1][2][3][4] The brand was created in 1971 in Saint Tropez by Fred Prysquel, a photographer and sports automobile journalist and Yvette, a fashion designer. One interesting fact is Fred is colorblind and Yvette picks out all the colors. [1][4][5] The brand has stores in Saint-Tropez, Paris, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Milan, Monte Carlo, Seoul, New York City and Washington DC,[6] among others.[3][4][7] It was due to Prysquel's passion for automobiles that he named his brand, Vilebrequin, the French word for "crankshaft".

History

In 1971, Fred Prysquel, photographer and automobile journalist, sketched and cut out a swimsuit design from a paper tablecloth in a Saint Tropezian café. Inspired by the swimsuits of surfers at the time, he created a longer boxer short style much different than the shorter and fitted swimsuits of that period. Designed from spinnaker cloth, his l swimsuit was bright, original and designed to dry quickly in the sun.

In 1991, fellow Tropezian and textile worker, Loïc Berthet, took over the brand and added new styles and models. To men's swim trunks, he added a back pocket secured with Velcro, eyelet holes made from a stainless alloy, Zamac, and a cotton lining.

In 1994, Vilebrequin expanded its collection to include boys' garments.

Between 1990 and 2000, the brand expanded worldwide and opened locations in London, Alassio, Paris, Geneva, New York, Hong Kong and Madrid. The brand also developed a network of distribution partners in over 50 countries.

In 2012, Vilebrequin was acquired by the American company G-III Apparel Group, Ltd., which also licenses Calvin Klein, DKNY, and Karl Lagerfeld Paris.[8] Roland Herlory, prior general director for Hermès Latin America and Caribbean, became the new CEO.[9]

In 2013, after more than 40 years in menswear, Vilebrequin launched their first ladies' line and extended their product offering to also include resort wear as well as luxury beach accessories for both men and women.

In 2014, Vilebrequin opened stores with a particular focus on expansion throughout Asia with openings in South Korea, Thailand and Singapore.

In 2013, the brand released a men's collector swimsuit embroidered in gold thread with solely 20 models available. In 2014, the model was replicated and sapphire elements were added.

In 2020, the brand collaborated with American artist Derrick Adams to create a capsule collection of swim shorts, inspired by Adams’ ‘Floaters’ series. [10]

Distribution

As of 2014, Vilebrequin is present across 5 continents and in 52 countries with more than 150 stores. The brand has e-shops in Europe and the United States.

References

[11]

  1. 1 2 Official website Archived January 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ The New Yorker, Volume 77, 2001, p. 10
  3. 1 2 Suzy Gershman, Suzy Gershman's Born to Shop Italy: The Ultimate Guide for Travelers Who Love to Shop, John Wiley & Sons, 2010, p. 293
  4. 1 2 3 Suzy Gershman, Suzy Gershman's Born to Shop New York: The Ultimate Guide for People Who Love to Shop, Frommer's, 2008, p. 212
  5. ↑ Adam Fox, 'Vilebrequin swimwear', on AskMen.com
  6. ↑ "Luxury Boutiques and Shops in Houston | Fashion for Women and Men". Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  7. ↑ Vilebrequin Official website store location Archived February 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "G-III buys luxury swimwear brand Vilebrequin for about $106 mln". Reuters. 2012-08-07. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  9. ↑ "G-III buys Vilebrequin for $106 million". finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  10. ↑ "Vilebrequin's artist-approved swimwear makes a style splash". 20 November 2020.
  11. ↑ Rod Hagwood, 'NHL and NFL players model Vilebrequin swimwear at Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach', in South Florida Sun-Sentinel, December 7th, 2011
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