New swimwear designs from gay-friendly labels for summer 2021

L-R: Swimwear by Dark Room, JJ Malibu and Andrew Christian
L-R: Swimwear by Dark Room, JJ Malibu and Andrew Christian

Summer is coming in the northern hemisphere and people are planning some pool or beach time – Covid restrictions permitting. Here are some of the latest designs from gay-owned and LGBTQ-friendly brands.

Andrew Christian

(Photo: Andrew Christian)

Softly-spoken, gay designer Andrew Christian launched his eponymous fashion range in 1997 in California. He began by doing sportswear, but business was slow. Then he branched out into swimwear, and then in the late 00s he started selling underwear and the business exploded. He’s now best known for his underwear but his new swimwear designs are always popular.

(Photo: Andrew Christian)

Nasty Pig

 

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New York-based fashion brand Nasty Pig was launched by Frederick Kearney and David Lauterstein in 1994. It began by selling clubwear and items in leather and rubber but has greatly expanded, selling clothing that often features a fetish twist. Its underwear and jockstraps can be found in the closet of many gay guys all over the world.

Nasty Pig’s new ‘Intrepid’ sunga (Photo: @nastypig/Instagram)

Last year, Lauterstein was praised for a message he sent to Nasty Pig subscribers encouraging them to stay strong during the early months of the Covid pandemic.
It’s SS21 swimwear collection includes a ‘Poppers’ print trunk and a ‘Pursuit Long Short’ for those who don’t want something too figure-hugging.

Related: Fetish fashion brand CEO offers the words of comfort we need right now 

Garçon

Garcon’s Extravaganza Purple swimsuit (Photo: Garcon)

Garçon was founded in 2012 in Vancouver, Canada by founders Patrick and Mehdi. Patrick first developed a passion for fashion watching his mother working as a seamstress in Barcelona. Medhi was raised in Paris, and the brand was originally called Garçon Model (‘Good Boy’), but it rebranded simply as Garçon, which is how it is best known around the world. It’s best known for its underwear and swimwear, with new designs making their debut every year.

(Photo: Garçon)

“Our goal is to provide the best men’s underwear and sexy swimwear for men which combine impeccable taste, premium quality and, last but not least, total sex appeal.”

Related: All the Provincetown theme weeks set to make a comeback in 2021

JJ Malibu

(Photo: JJ Malibu)

JJ Malibu was launched in 2016 in Toronto by designer Jed Jin with the aim of becoming, “the top LGBTQ+ underwear and lifestyle brand in the world.” Five years down the line, it’s picked up a big following, with almost half a million followers of its Instagram and sales in over 140 countries. It’s also a little cheaper than some of the other brands featured here. It’s currently offering 17 different swimwear designs on its website, from skimpy bikini briefs to figure-hugging trunks.

(Photo: JJ Malibu)

Addicted

(Photo: Addicted)

Addicted was founded primarily as a swimwear brand in 2009 in Barcelona. However, now selling in over 240 outlets around the world, and doing a great trade online, it has expanded beyond its original ES Collection line, and now sells accessories, fetish wear and other clothing with the gay market firmly in mind.

Swimwear remains at its core, and it sells a huge variety, from bottomless trunks and sungas to designs aimed at big boys and ‘swimderwear’: swimwear that resembles underwear. Some boasts ‘ring’ technology: an inner pouch that makes your package stand out.

(Photo: Addicted)

Dark Room

Paul models Dark Room's 'Easy Access' swimming brief
Paul models Dark Room’s ‘Easy Access’ swimming brief (Photo: @leeedwardphotography)

The Dark Room brand is owned by long-term partners Paul [pictured above] and Andres, who are based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The guys have built up a huge social media following with their muscle-packed Instagram feeds. They branched out into clothing and merchandise in 2016. They started with T-shirts, crop tops, jockstraps and fetish wear, and have branched out into swimwear. They’re now offering ‘easy access’ swimwear (with front zip), regular, and ‘assless’ variations.

 

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PUMP!

 

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PUMP! is based in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 2009, its core business is underwear, often in bright, contrasting colors. However, it’s also branched out into swimwear, and currently offers a range of “watershorts” in aqua, coral, lime and black.

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