I was super excited to sit down with Cocksox! They have some amazing things coming. I can’t tell you what they are but they will have some new swimwear. Some things you will expect and others you won’t! But all super cool!
If you’re like me you love traveling and going to new places. However, you hate going through security and the “joys” (said sarcastically) of flying and traveling. Standing in line for an hour, then waiting at the gate to get on a flight that was shorter then your wait. Then getting of the plane and making your way to baggage claim and then to your hotel. It’s usually a day that lasts longer than you expect.
Car travel is just as tedious. You get up super early drive 6-8 hours or more and make several stops during the day. The best part is you can bring your own music and travel with people you like to make the journey better!
We are going to give you some advice for underwear for traveling
- Wear a favorite brand – Wear a brand you know and love. you will know what to expect from the pair and not be surprised. There will be no binding, pinching and lack of support.
- Don’t Experiment – A long drive or flight is not the time to experiment with a new brand or style. Example is if you’re a boxer brief guy don’t pick a trans atlantic flight for wearing a thong. At some point you’ll be in the bathroom and take it off and have to free ball the rest of the trip
- Wear your go to style – Sort of a take on the one above, if you’re a briefs guy, wear briefs. You will be thankful
- Wear breathable materials – One of my favorite materials to travel in is Modal. it’s very soft and breathes with you. Perfect for being in a car all day
- Colors are awesome – wear something colorful, to me wearing great colorful underwear makes me feel happy. So yellows, reds, greens and even pink.
- Pack Extra underwear in your carry on – This time of year there have been major delays due to weather. This is never true than when you have a connecting flight. Being suck in an airport for 24 to 48 hours is never fun.
These may seem like Duh tips but wear something fun and familiar on long trips.
Picture by Paul Ferrer Underwear
We give you an interview of a company we have worked with over the years. Ryan has always been amazing and designed fun undies. So when he sent this in we loved it! If
What gave you the idea to start McKillop? Were you out with friends saying “I could do better” or did you stumble into the industry
I started toying around with the idea in 2008 when I tried on a friends pair of “lets say cowboy underwear” and they were the most ill fitting underwear I have ever worn. I knew that Men should have better fitting clothing, and that I was able to offer that to them. You are right I did test out the ideas with friends first, and scouted fit models on apps like Grindr and Scruff to try on and review pairs that was a different size other than myself. But I also did stumble in to the industry as well. When I was in college I thought I would be making high fashion gowns but I must say this is a much better fit for me.
Did you love underwear before your entry into the market?
Honestly I had a little fetish but totally forgot about that – kind of till now. When I was 16 – 19 years old, anything a little out of the ordinary peaked my interest and back then there wasn’t very much to chose from. I remember buying a jock with a zipper down the front and another white jock, I cannot remember the name of the brand but I remember it was French and the quality was amazing.
What made you focus first on jocks?
First I focused on our pouch – funny story but I used to go to the clubs and when I got there I wished I went commando – but I never wanted to go commando on the way there- so I made the pouch so it could easily be removed and replaced when it was time to go home. Then after perfecting that design I threw on some leg straps to expand the line. Also being that I started with a product line that required a tiny bit less work and fabric allowed me to learn the ropes of this industry without the complicated items we do now it was a perfect choice.
How has the experience been for you in the first few years?
We are 5 months away from our 5th birthday and we are still learning everyday. The first few years was such an adventure navigating through the wilderness per say. Learning social media , web design and heck running a business properly. It took everything I had but it gave me my dream. In year 1 we had a very successful line and year 2 a horrible one, that was hard to overcome but you need to be a chameleon; change, move and adapt, and FAST. This is one of the reasons we pulled out of China. We test market everything in our design studio with our MUSE program and we only sew what our customers need and nothing more. If something needs to change we can do it immediately. But we are not there yet we still work our asses off each day to become better at what we do , how we do it, and communicate to our customers the feeling like they are a part of something bigger than fabric and elastic. I look forward to our year 10 interview and you ask me about today : )
Looking back would you do it all over again ?
Funny you should say that – WE ARE !!
Mckillop has a dirty little secret that we are not giving up. We will hint a little though. We have made almost every mistake possible in the past 5 years and learned from each and every one. These lessons have put us in a good position to become stronger. We are in the process of “The year of change” as I am calling it. Mckillop is getting a facelift (www.Mckillop.co), we are going to expand our enhancement products and we are opening another brand. The cool part about the new brand is that it has a huge advantage of being smarter at the starting line. This new brand I can tell you will be the exact opposite of Mckillop – Mckillop is somewhat conservative, we are based on fit, style, comfort and luxury but our new brand will throw all of that out the window. Its like our alter ego and guys is it ever dirty lol – you are going to love it. We can’t wait to show it to you later this year.
I”m always super excited every February to see N2N Bodywear. They only have one collection a year and each year they out do the year before. I will be meeting with them in Vegas and will cover the entire line very soon!
Go Softwear is one of those companies I love the guys behind. I got my first pair in 2002 I think. Long before UNB. I have gotten the chance to get to know them over the last few years. Here is how they started the company
What made you start Go Softwear? Greg (the company founder) got the idea when he attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. During one of their groups discussions at the business school, the subject of the success of the women’s wonder bra (a novel and popular garment in the mid 1990’s) came up. A light bulb went on in his head and said “why don’t men have anything for enhancement? in 1996 he started the Go Softwear line. It began with that report he did in class.
He saw there was nothing like that in the market, now enhancement is common themes. He developed the initial collection with 5 underwear designs with padding and 3-4 tank tops. Then started to shop it around in the LA boutiques and got it 
started. It then evolved into colors and more!
Some of the challenges for them were different. Underwear was a novel product. It was not colorful, underwear back in the day when it was black/white/grey and it wasn’t easy getting the buyers to sell in the store. Enhancement was a little too novel for them to sell to their customers. Some buyers saw the line as something they needed to have to expand their underwear section. For those who didn’t understand it they had to educate the stores on the products. It was getting them to try it. Once they tried it they saw it sold well.
I asked them what some of the biggest surprises were. The biggest one was when they started getting reorders from Boutiques. We knew there was something different the reorders confirmed their initial thoughts that there was a market for their undies. They knew it would take off in the bigger market outside of the LA market. Feedback from customers and buyers allowed them to get ideas on how to improve and grow the biz.
Some of their best sellers over the years are: Enhancement body shapers, super padded, M Body enhances (new collection) does very well well on their site and stores that carry the Go Softwear Brand. California Colors and American Jock also does very well. American jock is athletic. Jock in shorts, which are gym shorts that has a built in jock.
I also asked them how the market has changed since the benign. Market has changed since 1996 and radically in the last 5-6 years. More competition, some do a great job and some are just a water downed version of other companies. It’s has grown amazingly over the last few years. It’s a Saturated from the brand perspective. its not easy to produce a brand from design, production to retailing. A lot of compeition, foreign sourcing, and a big selection.
We have a few things planned but our tag line, which you may or may not know is “Real Guys, Real Underwear” We feature some of our reviewers of different body types in reviews (both video and online). But we want to extend that to more! To do that we need your help.
You maybe asking how? Well we need you to stand up for seeing real guys in undies. We are all like a brotherhood. I’m super protective of our readers. I think it takes courage to stand up and wear great undies even when your friends give you grief. I mean wearing underwear to the gym and your buddies giving you a hard time about some bright briefs.
No imaging opening yourself up and doing it online for thousands to see. I have posted pics of me in underwear on the net and I always cringe. I don’t want to hear the “you’re too big to wear that” “You’re too fat” Which if it was said I haven’t heard it.
We want to do more of real guys including photo shoots. So when you see someone saying bad things about real guys in undies, speak up! Our biggest thing we hear is you want real guys in underwear so to get that you need to voice your opinion to others and to us! Send us emails and comments. Let us know we are doing a good job and you like the guys we choose! We want to include some staff guys sometimes in our shoots!
We want to hear what you have to say on the topic! email us at info at underwearnewsbriefs dot com
This is a a pic from February 2013 featuring 2(X)ist. This is the Pro Sliq Brief. Plus the 2(X)its socks! We will have more form them soon.
My “Brief Beginnings” were in no way ever planned to becoming a Men’s Underwear Designer. I always knew I wanted to be a designer. I was sketching since I can remember – and at the at the age of seven I remember drawing my favorite cartoon characters or super hero’s and then changing their costumes in my sketch. Wonder Woman would have a purple costume rather than a red one.
Things like that is why I geared my studies at school towards Fashion Design, and took summer classes at The Delaware Art Museum and Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. (It was a Girls School, but they allowed boys during the summers). When I graduated from High School I went on to get my BFA at Parson’s School of Design in New York City. I’ve always wanted to design glamorous evening gowns or red carpet dresses for celebrities. (My cousin has taken that part over – Dennis Basso).
After Parson’s I worked for Joseph Abboud as an assistant designer in his licensing division. I was (and still am) in awe of Joseph, and he took a liking to me and my sketching ability. He would always have me sketch to frame as gifts for friends – and do illustrations for his biography “Threads.”
In the licensing division at Joseph Abboud I was able to work on many different categories; Women’s Sportswear, Home Furnishings, Shoes, belts, bags, Outerwear and also Men’s loungewear and underwear. It was the perfect job for a designer right out of school. I got to have a hand in designing every product category. After three years I heard about a job at Tommy Hilfiger in Men’s underwear and loungewear. I was intrigued to know one product inside and out. To know every detail – rather than dabble in a variety of different products (grass is always greener syndrome.) I was intrigued.
I moved to Tommy Hilfiger, where I spent the next five years working on Men’s underwear, loungewear and eventually socks. The underwear business really intrigued me. It was actually very challenging. There are only so many things you can do to a pair of underwear to make it “new” each season. I loved the challenge. I absorbed as much as I could about the industry and the product.
We worked closely with JOCKEY underwear, whom at the time was the licensee of Tommy Hilfiger Underwear. In time, Tommy would launch a collection based out of Europe with a European Licensee called Schiesser. I learned from the best, two power-house brands that have been around for over 100 years. I learned about the product and also learned how different countries and communities require different attributes.
I wasn’t ready to leave Tommy Hilfiger after five years – but a friend of mine heard of a position at 2(X)IST. I adored the 2(X)IST brand, and thought it would be the perfect next evolution in my career.
I remember being really impressed with how extensive the underwear offering was when I first started at 2(X)IST, and how impeccable the quality and construction was. I wasn’t sure I had what it takes to design so many collections of….well….just underwear every season. Again, I loved the challenge.
This year will mark my tenth year at 2(X)IST. Each year has been better than the previous. I am still continuing to learn. I still feel like we push the boundaries and bring something new to the table. I love what I do. I love the craft. I love the industry and I respect the competition. It is magical to me.
The 2(X)IST brand has grown and is continuing to grow in many different catagories. My position here feels like it is changing yet again, and morphing into overseeing new product categories. We launched swimwear 2 years ago, we have socks and the no-show ped and this year we will launch Activewear that we teased the public with in our fashion show this past October. The brand continues to grow into exciting new ventures and so my “Brief Beginnings” have proven to be all too fruitful. I am blessed and thankful everyday, and I am most thankful to have communities, enthusiasts and friends such as yourselves at UNB whom are interested in it all.
Thank you for asking about my “Brief Beginnings” and I am excited to share all that’s new to come with the 2(X)IST brand.
If you have read us in the past month you know we covered how to organize your underwear drawer. Now we are tackling a topic we don’t like. When do you clean our your drawer and get rid of older pairs?
For me this is a hard topic, I love underwear so much I don’t like throwing a pair away, even if it’s one I don’t like. I have serval drawers full of undies. I always put it off till the last minute. So the drawers are running over and I have a basket beside the dresser.
I usually go through and find the pairs I love. The pairs I want to wear most often. I fold and put them in the top drawer (I have three drawers). Each pair is one that is a favorite. Some are a few years old and others are pretty new. I don’t organize them by color or brand. I like to mix it up and have different pairs every day. It’s like doing a grab bag for me each day.
The pairs I don’t normally wear or that are getting worn I put in the second drawer. They aren’t my all time favorites but they aren’t bad pairs either. All great. Then the third drawer is for pairs I can’t part with because they were favorites but now too worn to wear or pairs I just don’t like. Consider it the underwear grave yard.
The pairs left over are the ones I have to consider what to do with. As I said I can’t just throw them out. Its like I’m committing a crime. So there are a few options I do for underwear.
- If you have a good friend into underwear and the same size consider doing a swap. It can be fun to get some undies you don’t like and trade them to a buddy for pairs he doesn’t like. This works well with a guy who has briefs but likes boxer briefs and vice versa. It’s a win-win for underwear lovers!
- Give pairs that haven’t been worn much to a friend. We all have a friend who’s getting into underwear and it’s good to expose them to some great brands. Or you can just give a pair to someone who loves underwear (see above but no trade)
- Don’t know anyone into undies, you ca make something out of the underwear if you can. Gone are the days when you use underwear as dust rags. With what we pay for a lot of the pairs it’s a sin to do that! One things i want to do is make a quilt out of some of my favorite pairs. A reader suggested it years ago and I’m constantly going through that third drawer to find pairs that would make a great quilt. This also will take a ton of underwear to make, since I’m a briefs guy.
- Throw them away. I hate this option. But some guys don’t have a problem doing this. I hate it but have done it in the past. Mainly with swim briefs. The spandex gets so worn our there is no recovery. So the only option is throw them away. I hear some say donate them but most clouting places won’t take worn underwear.
This is what I do, lets hear when you guys clean out your drawer and what you do with old pairs you don’t or can’t wear any more.
We jumped ahead for the previous this Brief Distraction features 2EROS Black Label. A really great pair of underwear. I have tired them and they are awesome! This is from February 2013.
I met Jerrad and Todd in February of last year in Vegas at Project where we get to see all the new trends in men’s underwear. I was really excited to meet them because I had heard a lot about their new company, Underwear Nation, and wanted to learn more about how they got the idea to start an underwear retailer. We sat down in the luxe Cosmopolitan after the underwear show and talked. Underwear Nation is always a topic of conversation on the underwear scene! If you aren’t familiar with the online store I am sure you know their amazing photography that seems to pop up all over the Internet.
I started our conversation by asking them how Underwear Nation got its start. As it turns out, Jerrad and Todd were acquaintances from over 15 years ago that parted ways after meeting at a random party. Jerrad was leaving to dance on a cruse ship, and Todd was moving to Chicago to pursue his business career. Several years later Todd was combing the Internet for hot guys and saw Jerrad’s work on a blog. After rekindling their friendship, Todd hired him to do a photo shoot for a bar he was working at in Madison. The rest is history!
Both fans of (hot guys in) underwear they talked about how they wanted to do something in industry. “We had a great brand name in Underwear Nation. And we wanted to create a solid business plan that would surge into the Men’s Underwear industry and set us apart.” Todd and Jerrad launched Underwear Nation as an Underwear of the Month Club where members would get a pair of briefs, boxer briefs or jockstraps every month. In addition, they wanted to provide a curated retail experience with great editorial content such as Jerrad’s original photography every month. As UN has evolved they have begun releasing new men’s underwear product lines through a monthly Issue with a themed photo shoot such as the very popular Varsity series set in the locker room featuring Timoteo.
As they have grown over the past 18 months, like most entrepreneurs, Todd and Jerrad have had some challenges along the way. Jerrad mentioned “the constant deadlines of a small team that create a lot of creative pressure for us.” And being an online retailer has presented lots of issues as the company continues to grow. “Sometimes we have to stop everything and work on technical issues…things that necessarily aren’t our strength, but are important for the growth and viability of the company,” Todd said.
I asked the team at Underwear Nation what surprised them as an Internet retailer. They mentioned how awesome it was to have a global customer base, and how cool it was to get orders from everywhere from Australia to Israel. And with the global presence, Jerrad and Todd are eager to see the company grow and expand to become one of the largest underwear retailers on the Internet. Todd added, “Not only do we want to continue to improve our curated product selection in our store, but we also want to continue to engage our customers in new and interesting ways.” At Underwear News Briefs we know it will be amazing and I can’t wait to see the progress!
Underwearnewsbriefs.com interviewed the guys behind the Aronik website:
We asked them why they started the brand. Both creators, Mauricio Sepúlveda and Jed Skeen, are lovers of the beach and swim briefs. Mauricio, years ago, toyed with the idea of designing swimwear. Years later, in spring of 2013, Mauricio aka Mao and Jed, did just that. After researching, traveling the world for textile samples, and making prototypes, they both eventually created the logo and branding for Aronik (pronounced similar to Ironic). They started with local tailors to make sample prototypes using themselves and friends to get the right fit. Soon they jumped on production and decided that they were going to launch slowly as they were entering cold Autumn.
Mauricio networked to find models and photographers that would represent Aronik best. His top pick for model, José Ruiz, and photographer Jorge Freire were the perfect match that eventually landed the September 2013 cover for DNA Magazine Australia. Since then it’s been business at full speed.
Both Mauricio and Jed live in Salt Lake City, Utah and are former mormon missionaries (no longer affiliated). Utah, known as the ‘Beehive State’, served as part of the inspiration for the company name, the honey bee logo, and corporate image. Much of their design reflects the beauty and inspiration from Utah.
Throughout history, the honeybee has symbolized opulence and diligence. French emperor Napoleon used the bee as a symbol of his empire. This inspired Mauricio to share that same concept in Aronik with high-end fabrics and craftsmanship. People have loved the signature bee logo seen on various prints and can look forward to more.
Thanks to the cover on DNA magazine, they’ve gained massive exposure and began selling to orders from all over the world. With their second collection they are poised to grow the brand and reach out to more enthusiasts. Their product is designed in the US and manufactured in Colombia, known for their high quality in textiles.
They have some big plans coming up and we wills hare them with you as they announce them. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and Pinterest @ Aronikswim or www.aronikswim.com
This pic we enter last year. This was the new 2(X)ist swimwear at the time. Which will be released soon as this is from August! So be on the look out
Cocksox® is an Australian men’s underwear and swimwear company that make everything from long johns to super sexy thongs! All Cocksox® have one thing in common: an anatomically designed pouch to lift and support a man’s ‘manhood’. The Cocksox® pouch provides supreme comfort, support and an enhanced profile. Cocksox® do for men what the push-up bra does for women!
The Cocksox® pouch design is also suitable for highly active men. Many tri-athletes, cyclists, runners and swimmers wear Cocksox® because the pouch gives support like a jockstrap without being constrictive or bulky.
Guys give undies a hard time so Cocksox® underwear are made using the highest quality modern fabrics (Lycra®, Supplex® & Cotton-Lycra). They are hypo-allergenic, fast wicking, long lasting and have excellent shape retention.
Cocksox® swimwear is made from superior quality Lycra with high chlorine resistance, excellent wear properties and SPF 50+ sun protection.
All sorts of guys from all over the world buy Cocksox®, a lot of them being middle and upper income earners who appreciate the high quality design, quality manufacture and the good price point. Cocksox® customers include doctors, dentists, pilots, athletes, military personnel, celebrities, strippers, sheiks, swimmers, cyclists, clergymen and regular guys who like to go about their regular day with asexy secret in their trousers!
Some guys buy Cocksox® just for the fun name but are genuinely amazed by how comfortable and supportive they are and come back for more, and more! There are even Cocksox® customers who’ve thrown out all other underwear brands and only wear Cocksox®! One man requested custom made Cocksox® for his wedding night – we were happy to oblige.
From what started as a rude dare, Cocksox® has grown into a brand exported to almost every country on Earth. Retail stores in USA, UK, Europe, Asia and Australia sell Cocksox® and the number is growing all the time.
Who’s behind the brand:
Nadiah Christensen has been working in the apparel industry for 15 years and her garment designs and prints have featured at international fashion shows including Lyon Mode City and Salon International de la Lingerie de Paris.
Nigel Christensen, who is also a film producer, is the brains behind the provocative Cocksox® marketing campaigns.
Early in 2006 Nadiah, saw a need in the men’s underwear and swimwear market for high quality, sexy designs with enhancing qualities.
Running the concept past her partner, Nigel Christensen, he thought of the name Cocksox®! At first it seemed too rude but it was the perfect name for the garments and the attitude they embodied;
Sexy, provocative and fun!
In March 2006 they released the first Cocksox® ‘no rings, no slings’ enhancing underwear, triggering a revolution in men’s underwear around the world.
From humble beginnings Cocksox® now appears in international magazines, morning TV in England, movies and is currently in negotiations with pro athletes and pop stars for endorsement and marketing deals.
There is nothing that brings more curiosity from you guys when get a chance to talk to you one on one, either via email or in person, than my trips to Vegas to see the the brands new collections. It’s always a big topic of conversation and I’m more than happy to talk about it.
First all, I have fallen in love with Vegas after going for 4 years. The food, the city and everything about it. I have some favorite spots I go to every time and I always try to find new spots. Some of the spots I love are: Cafe Gelato at the Bellagio, Gordon Ramsey Burgr at Planet Hollywood, Mermaids Casino in old vegas for Deep Fried Twinkies, Yes I said it, it’s not conducive to wearing great undies but sure is good! If you go to Vegas and want some recommendations hit me up!
But enough about the food and such. Let’s talk about what happens when I go to Vegas:
Pre Planning –
Both magic and Curve have lists of what brands are showcasing. So I usually go through and create a spreadsheet of who I need to see. Which did me great until the show last year when I lost my program of Magic that had my list in it. I frantically looked for it but to no avail. Going forward I have put it on my computer/ipad/phone and printed out extra copies. This gives me a great idea of how many people I need to see. However, there are always new brands to see. I will find out a company that was supposed to show isn’t or will hear from others about new brands is showing. Also, not every brand is listed in the online guide and some are listed under parent companies and not the names.
Day 1: Curve/Magic
The first day I usually split my time between Curve in the morning and Magic in the afternoon. I trek up to the Venetian to Curve and get my credentials. When I first started going Curve had about 15 men’s brands. Over the years it has slowed down and its anywhere from 3-5 brands now. So I usually go from about 9 am till about 12-1 PM. I get in and sit down with the brands and go over whats new with each brand. On the way back down to the Mandalay Bay I grab lunch. Lunch is usually Secrets Pizza at the Cosmopolitan which is preceded by Gelato at Cafe Gelato in the Bellagio. Then head over to the Mandalay bay convention center get my credentials and have 1-2 meetings in the afternoon. The first day is usually so busy I don’t get many people in.
When I sit down with brands I get to see the new collections. I get walked through whats new, whats hot and look through the catalogue. I get to ask questions and find out more about the line. Its easier to do it right there. Sometimes they have a model to show me the line other times it’s just being shown through the racks and racks of amazing undies. These meetings last from 20 mins to an hour. I usually have over 30 brands to meet up with.
In February we usually have a Meet and Greet with the brand hosted by UNB. it’s a grew time for brands and retailers to come hang out in a social environment. This has led to me getting to know some of the people win the industry and become good friends with them. I look forward to this but due to the brands schedules not everyone can make it. This is because they have dinners they must go to. My favorite Meet and Greet went till 3 AM! Ask me about that one.
Typical Day is:
- 8:30 – leave the hotel for Venetian
- 9:00 – Arrive at Venetian and get credentials
- 9:15 – 12:00 – Meet with Brands
- 12:00 – 12:45 sit down and grab lunch
- 1:00 – Go to Cafe Gelato (I gotta take a break)
- 2:00 – leave for Mandalay bay
- 2:30 – arrive at Mandalay bay and walk to the convention center
- 2:45 – get credentials
- 3:00 – walk around and say howdy to people
- 4:00 – 6:00 pm – meet with brands
- 7:30 – UNB Meet and Greet till when ever
Day 2: Magic
Day two is kind of a hybrid for me. I am at Magic all day but don’t spend all day there. There are always brands that are in Vegas but not at Magic. They get suites in the Mandalay Bay and I go up to the suite to meet them and see the lines. Most of these have models and many of the videos we have done were done in suits. Which I’m still trying to figure out lighting in suites. So it’s a lot of walking back and forth. The walk way from the hotel to the convention center is crazy long. This year I’m getting a pedometer to see how much I walk. This time at Magic it’s on one level. Which for me is a good thing it cuts my walking down. I’m not as tired. In most Aug shows its both levels of the Mandalay Bay convention center and by the ned of the day I”m done! I try to meet with as many brands as I can in that time frame. Its usually meet with 10-14 brands. 
Schecule
- 8:45 – Leave hotel for Convention center
- 9:00 – meet with brands (usually anywhere from 2 brands)
- 10:30 – meet with brand in suite
- 11:30 – back to the Convention center to meet with brands
- 12:30 – take lunch double check schedule
- 1:00-6 Pm – meet with brands (usually 5-10
Day 3: Magic
This day is a lot more laid back. The dress of everyone is casual. The first day is dress up and then the last day is jeans and t shirts. Although, I looked at myself and decided to step up my dress. So I”ll be wearing good stuff every day! Or trying too. This is the day I meet with most of the brands. It’s a lighter day for most brands and they have less scheduled so I can get in! I get the rest of the 15 brands. You maybe asking who do I see? Well they include: Frank Dandy, Timoteo, Clever, Pikante, PPU, Clever, Vuthy, Xtremen, Zylas, Gregg Homme, Junk Underjeans, Skmpeez, Papi, Andrew Christian, 2(X)ist, Baskit, C-IN2, Go Softwear, Jor, Private Structure, James Tudor, Naked Underwear, Wood Underwear, Manus Swimwear, Cocksox, Pistol Pete, and more that I can’t remember.
At the end of the day everyone breaks down to go home. It always makes me a little sad to see the end of the show. Just such
great people are in the men’s underwear market and it’s so much fun to be around them for a few days. Its one thing to talk on the phone or via emial but the face to face interaction is priceless.
- 8:45 – leave for convention Center
- 9:00-11:30 – meet with brands
- 11:30 – 12:00 Lunch
- 12:00 – 4:00 meet with brands
- 4:00- 5:00 Hang out and say good bye to brands
This is just a quick overview of what I’m doing while in Vegas this week! Watch Instagram for more. While there the cell network is nonexistent so it will be most nights or in the morning when i will post.
This is a picture from 2012 when Jam was at Curve. Now they tend to be at Magic. We have reviewed some of their undies and hope you check them out!
We all love hearing stories on how companies got their start. This one is about one of the wildest companies on the market. Koala is synonymous for fetish/erotic wear! They are the top of every list we get. It spans every market and every type of guy. I got a chance to talk to Michael the owner about how the company started and here is their story.
Koala started over 20 years ago because Michael the owner couldn’t get the swimwear he wanted. The styles he had in mind were not available from anyone on the market. This made him start having his swimwear custom made. While laying out in them he asked himself if other guys would like them? We definitely know the answer to that question.
He was a bit apprehensive about being able to create a business in swimwear. This was in the 90’s and men’s swimwear wasn’t as big as it is now. He got some designs made and started asking guys if they liked them. As it turns out many guys wanted the swimwear. He started Koala and it grew.
The basic premise of the company was he wanted really hot swimwear for the beach and that progressed into underwear and finally fetish wear. Like many underwear companies it first hit the gay market but grew. Now the brand is sold to men and women, gay and straight.
Some of the biggest challenges over the year are having the quality of the product that he expected. Going from making custom made items to mass production was a bit different then producing just a few suits. He tried over seas sourcing and wasn’t happy with the results. If they couldn’t make them in LA and have control he would rather not do it. He expected the quality to be amazing and the craftsmanship be top notch. So today the manufacturing is done in the US in the LA area.
Koala has a lot of the same people working today as they did when they opened. All the seamstresses, pattern makers and production crew. They tried going back over seas after a few years with samples, but they weren’t spectacular. However, they decided to keep production in LA. He said he loves working with the same people over the years because when a new idea comes into mind it’s easy to have the staff know exactly what you are thinking and makes for a great product.
I asked what the biggest surprise was in starting and running the company. Variety and types of customers. He loves underwear and swimwear like the rest of us. But not knowing if there were other guys out there who are into the scene. He was surprised at how big the community turned out to be. It includes women and men, both gay and straight men.
Guys have a lot of catching up to do in the women’s market. Women are willing to show each other underwear. They wear g-string to the locker room. Size and shape doesn’t matter. It’s totally second nature. It hasn’t evolved that way to the men’s market. We see more varied underwear styles at the gym now but not many guys wear them. They don’t wear thongs and g-strings. Women have no issues. If men think it would be ok they would be into wearing them in a minute. They would wear what ever.
Best sellers over the years: What styles are best selling are the Cock shaped suits as a group, Also the Male Transformation ones. Tons of guys wear them as underwear. They always call and ask if it will make them look feminine. Usually when they buy them they become a fetish item for them.
We want to thank everyone who nominated and voted in the 1st Annual UNB Reader Awards. It was a lot of fun to do and thank the brands that really got the word out. You have a year off till the next one! But you spoke and here are the winners of the 2014 UNB Reader Awards.
Some of the votes were really close and it went right to the wire! All the pairs nominated were awesome pairs so you can’t go wrong with any of them. It was cool to see some new brands you guys love and some standards.
The Winners are:
Best Bikini – Cocksox CX16 Waistband Bikini
Best Brief 2(X)ist Sliq Mesh Brief
Best Thong – Andrew Christian Almost Naked Smooth Vive Spider Thong
Best Jock – Andrew Christian Coolflex Active Jock
Best Jock Brief – Andrew Christian Airsculpt Locker Room Jock
Best Trunk – Timoteo Rugby Scout Square Cut Brief
Best Boxer Brief – Andrew Christian Color Vibe Boxer
Best Fetish Wear Brand – Cellblock13
Best Swimwear Brand – Andrew Christian
Best Overall Brand for 2013 – Andrew Christian
Best Online Retailer – Underwear Nation
Best Brick and Mortar Store – Andrew Christian Flagship Boutique
Best Underwear Model – Colby Melvin
Best Photographer – Jerrad Matthew
These are our winners!
Junk UnderJeans is a great brand we talk to every time I go to Vegas. They have really broadened as a brand and have some amazing undies each time I see them.
It all started when I was just five years old and living with my family in a village in northern Greece. Believe it or not, I made a simple pair of briefs that I stitched together from an old piece of knitted fabric. I remember my family being not very comfortable, but I was really proud!
It’s a strange story, but it was more like the male underwear and male fashion industry coming to me (smiles). I never really dreamed of being a part of it (another smile). I just felt inspired to create designs and then happened to find the right way to bring my creations to life!
The idea of Modus Vivendi for me started with the desire to clothe the male body, cleverly and with style. I felt inspired to create designs. I used to create underwear for my friends and family. Everyone was so encouraging that I should start my own fashion label and everything came together in 1989.
Modus Vivendi has been around for 25 years. We started in 1989 and quickly became one of the biggest underwear brands in Greece, but it was only in the last three or four years that we began showing the brand in other countries. It’s great to see how far we’ve managed to go on the global market in such a short time. It’s amazing how the brand has picked up so many fans and followers around the world.
I never had any contacts in the fashion industry, so I had to learn things the hard way. It was more the practical things of a business though than anything else. I feel very lucky that I was always able to get inspired by everything around me. Living in Greece, surrounded by its beautiful landscapes and people is an unlimited source of energy and inspiration.
Christos Bibitsos, Head designer and owner of Modus Vivendi
Operation Swim Brief 2014 is in effect. What is operation swim brief? Well its a way to get guys to wear swim briefs this summer to the pool or beach! Note we can’t say Speedo because it’s a trademarked name! I have talked to gay and straight guys who both want to wear them on the beach. Being a gay guy it amazes me how many gay guys have never worn them in public. When I was younger I wore them all the time and loved wearing them!
This challenge isn’t limited to the gay guys. We need our straight underwear brothers to join in. Many of you straight guys have told me that you wish you could wear them. Well now is your chance! Just do it and to hell with what the public has to say!
If you are going to do the Swim Brief Challenge let us know. Not all of us look like a swimmer model but it doesn’t matter! It’s about wearing what you want, when you want!
We’d love to post reader pics doing this! Email us, Tweet us or leave a comment here if you are! We think it’s time to make them more accepted!
Stud is one of those brands I found when I went to Curve in 2012. I didn’t know about them before I went and now they have been around since then, out of Asia they continue to make great undies.
In 2012 we have this picture from Pistol Pete. They have really had a great year in 2013. They continue to go strong and we love working with them!
We are staring segment called Brief Beginnings where brands and people in the industry tell you how they found their way into the Men’s underwear market. Most of these will be written but this one was too good to pass up. Naked Underwear has videos on how they got started. We hope you enjoy these videos!
What are the factors that we evaluate when buying underwear. I’m not only talking new brands but brands we know. We all have something different we look for and have different body types. Some issues that face guys are: endowment, butt size, long torso, shorter legs, stocky builds, thin builds, muscular thighs and the list goes on. Each of these brings a challenge to find great underwear. Adding this on top of our own fashion style, favorite color and fabrics makes it seem that finding a great pair is impossible. But if you’re like me this decision has become second nature. You evaluate tons of criteria all at once:
My own factors for finding great underwear are:
- Sizing – The first qualification that can knock a pair out of consideration. I’m a tall stocky guy and down to a 36 (on a good day). Many pairs either just go up to a 36 or run too small for me to wear. There is nothing worse than putting on a pair of underwear and you can nearly get it on, but not quite!
- Pouch – As long time readers know i’m an endowed guy so the pouch is a major factor. It has to cover me with out anything falling out
- Materials – Nothing worse than a pair of underwear made out of itchy fabric. Two of my favorites are spandex/lycra blend and Modal. Both fit very well and conform to my body. I love soft and stretchy fabric.
- Cut – My cut of choice are briefs. I like everything from bikinis to full sized briefs. I’m not a big fan of boxer briefs or trunks. I just love the feel and fit of briefs. They hold everything just right. Other cuts I like are thongs, jocks, jock briefs.
- Color – I am not one guy who’s turned off by color, quite the opposite. I love bright colors and yes I do have pink undies. If given a choice between white/black or color I will most often choose the color. I’m not too big a pattern guy but its not a deal breaker. The brighter the color the more I like it.
- Waistbands – It wouldn’t be a complete list without a waistband on the list. A great waistband can sell me on a pair. Creative and fun designs are the best. I think so many brands miss out on this opportunity to add something to a pair.
- Brands I know – Its a bigger chance I will just buy a pair if I know the brand and have tired it before. Well, for impulse purchases
These are some of the decisions that lead to my buying new undies. Let’s hear from you guys! What do you use to buy new undies.