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David Beckham

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FLASHBACK: I’m in a class for my costume design major in college, and I’m surrounded by a bunch of women and a straight guy. Today’s assignment had focused on designing the character’s clothing from the ground up, even their underwear. As I mention that one of my characters is wearing a trunk in one of my designs, I get interrupted by one of the girls. She asked me why the character was going to be wearing “swimming trunks”. I explained what a trunk was, and slowly the rest of the class acknowledged that none of them really knew that there was any other cut of men’s underwear besides the horribly named “tighty whiteys” (also known as y-front briefs) and boxers. Shocked was I for the girls (the straight ones at least) for having a history of dating men with such limited wardrobes, and the boy who had yet to see the world through the eyes of stylish underwear. My costume design professor noticed the information gap, and asked if I would mind preparing a small presentation on the current state of men’s underwear, to update my classmates’ knowledge a few decades. I hurried home and got to work…

David Beckham has many pop-claims to his life: major American-soccer/football cred, popstar turned fashion icon wife, movie with his name in the title, and especially ruggedly handsome model-good looks that have been put to good use leading to various endorsement contracts.

Beckham first brushed with the men’s underwear world back in 2007 when he modeled underwear for the Empirio Armani Brand. This underwear campaign did lead to controversy, because here was not just some anonymous model, this was a celebrity, who is lying back with a rather ample bulge prominently displayed for the public. When Marky Mark back in the day did his Calvin Klein ads, even the front of his undies were pretty baggy. Beckham’s ad left NOTHING to the imagination. Beckham has reached quite a gamut of positive facts. He is a sexy husband/father, who works hard, and looks good. Aside from the usual celebrity alleged sex scandals (none of which have been confirmed), he seems to be a great guy who also gets to live this magical life of riches, fashion, and fame. He represents what I like to call “straight man gold”.

Now, it’s one thing to be a model for an underwear label, but Beckham upped his game in early 2012, joining forces with H&M to create a line of David Beckham Underwear for their stores. This line is starting classic- no Andrew Christian competing here. But what these pieces offer, is a step in the right direction for guys who have had limited underwear wardrobes up till now. His designs are fairly classic in genre, but modern in cut and quality.

I am really excited about Beckham’s journey into men’s underwear marketing. He is a positive image that I think can help straight men who don’t consider themselves “metrosexuals” to start considering putting thought into their underwear choice. I think celebrities like Beckham and Mario Lopez’s “Rated M” underwear line, will help straight men realize it’s not necessarily a “gay” thing to put thought into your underwear.

What do you think? In the onslaught of certain companies targeting gay men in  their advertising to increase their more popular demographics sales, do you welcome Beckham and Co’s no-nonsense marketing of classic underwear redesigned for the new modern straight male? Or do you see it as just a random marketing campaign by a celebrity and it will not open the less popular demographic of straight men to opening their underwear opinions?

 

One of the most controversial announcements in the world of men’s underwear was when Jockey announced Tim Tebow was going to be their spokesperson. Our Facebook  page lit up with tons of comments. Most were saying that they would never buy Jockey until he was no longer spokes person.

The Hollywood Reporter ran a post this week that Tim has refused to strip down for Jockey. That meaning he would not be photographed just in his underwear. Jockey claims that the sales since Tebow took over have increased. However, can you sell underwear without actually being photographed in the brand?

Jockey is no stranger to hiring athletes to promote their undies. The first I remember is Jim Palmer. He was a pitcher for the Baltimore Oriels in the 70’s/80’s. His ads just about always featured him in bikini briefs. Which is one of the reasons I got bikinis back in the day. He was not shy and his ads became iconic in the world of men’s underwear.

Flash forward about 30 years. Today we have two “celebrities” with their own underwear lines. They are David Beckham and Mario Lopez, both we have covered here before. Neither one has been shy to strip down. David Beckham has promoted many underwear companies. He is no stranger to being shot in just his undies.

Mario Lopez is a new comer to the world of underwear. He has promoted his brand on his show “Extra.” This coverage showed him at the photo shoot and talking about the new line. The most recent was when Ellen made him drop his pants on his show, and then Ellen stripped him down (See our post featuring the Mario/Ellen Video).

Neither of these guys is being shy about showing off their brands. This got me thinking, if you hire someone to be a spokesperson for and Underwear Company, should they be required to strip down? Should Tebow keep his endorsement? What do you think?

It is my opinion that if I hire someone to be my spokesperson, I want him to be shot in the undies. Not just talk about them and be shot in T-shirts.


I posted this on Facebook today and it got me thinking. (If you haven’t watched the ad, please do so now). I posed the question that is the mainstream media scared of men’s underwear ads? Which is ironic to ask since our last Podcast with Freshpair.com, Matthew said that when FreshPair.com first started to advertise they were limited as to what they could post.

This is, for all I know, the first men’s underwear ad ever in the Super Bowl. So, for that we have come a long way and hope we have a more men’s underwear ads in the big game and other mainstream shows. However, that said, they barely showed the underwear, and no direct front shot. They just did a partial shot or one from behind. Maybe it was for artistic intent, but I think it’s more, “lets not offend America.”

I am curious as to what you guys think of the ad. Is the media scared of men’s underwear? If so why do you think that? Also, do you think we’ll see more underwear ads? Did you get a picture of what the new Bodywear line will consist of? Basically, is America ready for Men’s Underwear ads? What companies do you want to see advertise on TV? Rate how well H&M did with the ad.

When I first started this blog three years ago, men’s underwear wasn’t what I would consider main stream. It was still for the fashion conscious guy and not the every day guy. Then 2(x)ist introduced the Evolve line at Target and we got to see more and more underwear hitting the mass market. That is underwear you don’t buy in a three pack.

In the last few months we have had some big names enter the underwear market. The to guys that are turning men’s undies into mainstream are David Beckham and Mario Lopez

The first is David Beckham, granted he’s no stranger to the world of underwear. He previously modeled Emporio Armani with his wife, Victoria Beckham. Now, David has stepped into role of designer with the Bodywear Collection for H&M. The initial collection will feature 9 different styles. H&M Says:

Designed by David’s in-house team and sold exclusively at H&M, the focus is on fit, function, comfort and design, avoiding overt branding to present a range of new classics, comprising of briefs, boxers, vests, T-shirts, pyjamas and long johns. The result of eighteen months of research and development, the collection aims to set a new standard in men’s bodywear for the 21st century.

The Bodywear collection will be available February 2, at all 1,800 H&M stores. This, if you haven’t gathered is an exclusive just to H&M

The next guy bringing men’s underwear to the attention of the masses is actor Mario Lopez. Which I will say I didn’t expect, so when I was told he was doing an underwear line, I was like “Huh?”  But it makes sense he’s has always been a body conscious guy. When we first saw him on Saved by the Bell, he was the jock and then after he’s always been one to try and look good.

We covered this a few weeks back and to refresh your memory Freshpair.com said to us:

I got a chance to talk to them this past week. They told me the line is going to start off conservative but after the first of the year it will expand. Which is a smart thing to do. This is what we were told – “The prices range from $18 – $29 (briefs being $18, trunks $20, and shirts going up to $29). They are contemporary basics and come in red, blue, white, black, and gray. There are several lines, but the Elementary line will be the initial launch with others to follow early next year.”

This line is only available at Freshpair.com.com and is currently being sold.

We have a super start of sports and an actor/entertainment reporter both come out with underwear lines within two months of each other.  We have some questions for you:

  • What do you think of these two lines?
  • Which star of stage, screen or field (aka actor, singer or sports start) would you like to see come out with a line of underwear?
  • Do you think we will see more male celebrities endorse/design underwear?

It’s great to see men’s underwear hit the main stream!