About 20 years ago, Adam Brown noticed that men’s swimwear was severely lacking in its style and versatility. While women went from looking amazing on the beach in perfectly fitted swimwear to the beach bar or a tiki-decorated eatery without having to change, men looked like they were still following their mom into the restaurant in the same unflattering swim shorts they’d worn since childhood.
Brown then started his company, Orlebar Brown, with shorts you could swim in instead of swim shorts — attractive silhouettes and side fasteners that revolutionized the industry. Just like any entrepreneur, Brown had a vision board, and of course, James Bond made an appearance. But what made Bond’s appearance on this board important was the innovation of towelling for men.
What is towelling for men, and where did it come from?
The first time I saw what is considered “towelling” was when I saw Sean Connery’s James Bond outwit the villain of Goldfinger, wearing a terrycloth onesie. It took an immense amount of confidence, in my eyes, to be a grown man in a onesie. Then, 30 years later, when I visited Curacao in December, I saw it again. It was everywhere — men wore towelling at every turn. So what is this, and where did it come from?
Orlebar Brown’s chief marketing officer, Trevor Hardy, shines a little light on it for us: “Towelling or terrycloth has a rich history in the Ottoman Empire and bathhouses being very functional for cleanliness and comfort. But we are more obsessed with towelling’s more recent history from the 1950s and 1960s, when it became the uniform of men who dress for comfort but live for pleasure.”
What is it about towelling that has endured since Goldfinger?
When I went to Curacao, I wore towelling. I picked up a set that looked close to the onesie from Goldfinger, the right color, and the right feel. It wasn’t a onesie, but a set. I liked it when I saw it; I loved it when I wore it. But I didn’t know what I liked about it so much. What is it about towelling that stays so beloved by men looking to relax on vacation?
“What’s not to love; it’s soft, sensual, rich, absorbing. Versatile enough to take you from beach to lunch, poolside to late night playtime,” Hardy said.
This is exactly what it did for me. But why does this fabric work so well in this environment? Wearing it at a resort just feels right. Wearing it at the beach feels right. Wearing it as a day-to-day is workable, but it feels different. And there is a good reason for it. Hardy has a take on that, too.
“More than ever, summer and vacations are an escape from our everyday reality,” Hardy said. “Wearing towelling captures this mood perfectly — putting pleasure first. It looks as good as it feels. This summer you can find towelling garments in so many different colors and refined textures. Perfect for where the air is warm, the drinks are cold, and time is merely a suggestion.”
How can you wear this like James Bond?
There always seem to be rules and guidelines for every kind of clothing. Every style seems to have ways to do it correctly and incorrectly. With towelling, it can feel a little foreign when you put it on for the first time. It did for me. It felt like I was wearing, well, a towel. I wouldn’t suggest diving in head first, the way I did with my set. There are better ways to start.
“Start with a towelling polo shirt — a familiar shape but in the fabric of leisure — maybe in a shade you love. Then move into other items and more colors,” Hardy instructed. “Wear bright shades of towelling when the sun shines and move into more elegant colors for your nocturnal maneuvers. Try a matching set of a button-through resort shirt matched with towelling shorts that can be work as loungewear poolside in the morning, through to lunch and then to the beach in the afternoon.”
There is a mindset that’s needed to try a new style. An openness, a willingness, and in some cases an excitement. This is no different. There is a mental approach and a mental effect that wearing this has on you. And Orlebar Brown gets it. So when you are looking for your next summer set, towelling is the perfect option for 2025.
“Remember that towelling is as much an attitude as it is a fabric. You’ll realize that some men wear shirts, but with towelling, you wear possibility,” he concluded.
