For good ol’ boxer shorts, always head to Sunspel

Skims, CDLP and Calvin Klein might be some of the popular underwear brands of the moment, but long before them came Sunspel. While you likely know Sunspel best for its high-grade cotton tees, it has been a leader in the field of pants, briefs and boxers since it was founded in 1860. It was producing undergarments from the finest cashmere, merino wool, silk and cottons, and it carved out a name for itself.

It was in 1947 that Sunspel cemented itself as the go-to for underwear-seeking men everywhere. The brand introduced the Boxer Short to the UK after John Hill – the great grandson of Sunspel’s founder –brought an American underwear concept discovered on his honeymoon in the US to British shores. He basically reimagined it with a luxury twist that only Sunspel could offer: exceptional comfort, improved design and the highest quality cotton. The result was a new kind of men’s underwear garment, which amazed the nation. Case in point: by the mid-1960s Sunspel was seen as the quintessential British luxury underwear brand with presence in stores like Harrods and Selfridges.

But Sunspel got lucky. Sure, a lot of guys were sold on boxer shorts here the UK, but they still hadn’t won over everyone. So, thanks to a clever marketing strategy, it bolstered its standing as the leader in the men’s underwear field, and get men really wearing boxer shorts. Levi’s released its famous ‘Launderette’ TV ad (one that its still referencing today with a rehashed version featuring Beyoncé) in which model Nick Kamen removes his jeans, giving a flash of his bright and white Sunspel boxer shorts. The ad, naturally, with Levi’s reach, gave the boxer shorts cultural caché, turning it from a niche luxury item in the UK to a mainstream menswear icon.

That really set in motion Sunspel’s appeal as the go-to maker of the finest underwear. Today, the range is unrivalled. The classic boxers come with seams that are double-turned and feldlocked to avoid rough edges, while there’s a range of colours, from the traditional white seen in those Levi’s ads to pink, blue stripe and even a Liberty print collection. The boxer shorts are such an integral part of Sunspel’s business, as well as its DNA, that they make up nearly 50 per cent of the underwear sales (Sunspel also sells trunks, briefs and other styles), with boxer shorts sales seeing a 50 per cent increase over the last 6 months alone.

And now, to celebrate the 40 years since that Levi’s ad, and the soaring success of the boxer shorts, Sunspel is dropping the 40-Year Archive Reissue. It reintroduces three archival

stripe colourways in packaging inspired by the original archive pieces. The boxer shorts arrive in the classic long staple cotton and a new luxury Tencel TM fabric, ensuring quality, comfort and ease that you’d associate with Sunspel. And to coincide with the launch, Sunspel is reissuing those vintage underwear ads, because the brand really wants to spoil us.

The Sunspel 40-Year Archive Reissue is available to shop now at sunspel.com