Vilebrequin x Alex Israel Swimwear

Available now, the March 2017 collaboration between Vilebrequin swimwear and L.A. artist Alex Israel– a leading figure of the contemporary Los Angeles art scene.

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Interestingly, we’ve just learned that Vilebrequin founder Fred Prysquel sort the original inspiration for Vilebrequin swimwear in L.A. surfers’ trunks. The collaboration with Alex Israel is a continuation of looking at West Coast and surf culture, as exemplified in Bruce Brown’s classic surf documentary: The Endless Summer (1966). This iconic film tells the story of two surfers traveling the world in search of the perfect wave. The film’s poster, designed by John Van Hamersveld, shows three figures on the beach, bathed in L.A. sun that would later become a constant motif in Israel’s work.

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“In my new teen surf film SPF-18, a main character has a dream in which he’s surfing on a perfect wave. The dream sequence is animated, and in sketching the wave I drew inspiration from the work of both Hokusai and Ken Price. Ultimately, as an extension of the film, it felt natural and logical to design an actual swimsuit- a pair of shorts that could be covered in a pattern of perfect waves”.

Moorea Swimshort (Vilebrequin x Alex Israel Swimwear Edition), £180 at VILEBREQUIN