The Amazon bosss much admired octopus swimwear is part of a mens style revolution launched from Silicon Valley
Jeff Bezos: famous founder of Amazon, baldest billionaire in the world and now an unlikely mens style icon.
A pair of his swimming trunks have become one of the most searched for menswear items, according to website Lyst in its ranking of the most Googled clothing items of the season. Their popularity 4,000 searches and counting may surprise some; the aquatic design by French luxury label Vilebrequin (featuring several lilac octopuses intertwined against a lighter background) is 1% Ahoy Agenda and 99% Dad, youre embarrassing me.
Bezos was pictured in the trunks aboard David Geffens yacht (supporting cast: supermodel and Taylor Swifts ex-bff Karlie Kloss, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein) and strolling around Saint Tropez with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez (credits: So You Think You Can Dance, regular on People magazines Hot Bodies list).
Bezoss outlandish octopus shorts, ideal for cavorting on a superyacht, make a real statement, Lysts Katy Lubin says. The look has resonated with shoppers who, no doubt, aspire to Bezoss bold choices in both swimwear and in business.
Dressing like one of the 1% is part of the growing trend for luxury global traveller style. Featuring the likes of Bottega Veneta leather sliders, Loewe beach mats and a kaftan from Marrakshi Life, its a look straight out of a Bond villains Instagram story.
The whole holiday, resort and travel area of menswear has been growing steadily, says Fiona Firth, buying director at Mr Porter. She adds that, along with Vilebrequin, sales of luxury swimwear by Off-White and Orlebar Brown have soared.
I think men now understand and appreciate a broader perspective on dressing in different climates and for different occasions its not just about a pair of swimshorts, says Damien Paul, head of menswear at Matchesfashion.com.
This focus on Bezoss holiday clothes comes at an interesting point in the conversation around mens workwear. Long rejected by Silicon Valleys so-called tech bros, such as Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, the traditional office suit is showing signs of decline, with Marks & Spencer announcing that it is cutting back on its production, citing a 7% fall in sales. As Will Welch, editor-in-chief of GQ Style, announced in an editorial earlier this year: Silicon Valley rejected the suit as a symbol of a whole global infrastructure that needed disrupting. The corporate world abandoned it too.
In its place? A look thats characterised by stealth, low-key luxury utility pieces says Lysts Lubin. The centrepiece of that is the gilet or tech vests as they have come to be known. At the 36th Allen & Company Sun Valley conference earlier this year (the so called billionaire summer camp where mega-deals are made) media alphas such as Bezos, Lachlan Murdoch and Hank Crumpton all wore theirs.
They are the go-to look for the financial sector, parodied in more than one Instagram account and worn by characters on HBO shows Silicon Valley and Succession. Luxury brand Moncler even brought out a version knowingly named a banker gilet. The gilets have transitioned from being just a practical garment to a fashion item too, says Firth. To meet customer demand weve nearly doubled the amount of styles available.
Sadly, youre probably going to be left wanting if youre planning on nabbing a pair of Bezoss Vilebrequin trunks for Christmas. They are largely sold out, but you can swipe a similar pair for a cool 185 on Amazon.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/nov/02/jeff-bezos-shorts-tech-bro-fashion
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