IWC AND ORLEBAR BROWN CREATE THE ULTIMATE SUMMER COLLECTION
Schaffhausen, 15th July 2020 - IWC Schaffhausen and Orlebar Brown have picked the perfect month of July to announce their new partnership. Marking the start of their collaboration, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has unveiled the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph Edition “Orlebar Brown”, alongside the clothing brand’s new nine-piece collection of resort wear. In stainless steel with a marine-blue dial, elegantly-proportioned case and a co-branded side-fastener deployment strap, the nautical chronograph, which is water-resistant up to 6 bar, is the perfect timepiece for sailing yachts and relaxing on the beach.
The Orlebar Brown brand was founded by Adam Brown in London after an invitation to a friend’s 40th birthday party in Rajasthan. Around the hotel pool, he noticed that the usually well-dressed group were found wanting when it came to the style of the men in attendance, due to the selection of briefs, board shorts and shapeless boxerstyle shorts on show. When changing into something more appropriate for lunch, Adam realised he wanted something that he could seamlessly wear for both swimming and socialising. Eighteen months later, the first pair of Orlebar Brown swim shorts was sold.
As is the case with IWC and its watches, Orlebar Brown places great importance on the smallest details. Based on the pattern of a pair of traditional men’s suit trousers, Orlebar Brown’s swim shorts are crafted from 60 elements and developed to feature a four-part shaped waistband, zip closure and adjustable side-fasteners for the perfect fit. Recognisable due to their hallmark side-fasteners, their classic swim shorts are refreshed in new iterations each season and come with a 5-year guarantee as a testament to their quality and durability. Each pair is designed to be tailored to the dynamic lifestyles of sailors, adventurers and explorers.
“IWC and Orlebar Brown are united by the passion they feel every day for craftsmanship, innovation and quality. Orlebar Brown has reinvented sporty, elegant leisurewear and has proven with its unique, tailored approach that men can also look good in casual outfits. The company is one of the most innovative in its sector and continues to set high standards when it comes to comfort, quality and functionality.”
To mark the start of their collaboration, IWC has introduced the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph Edition “Orlebar Brown” (Ref. IW390704). The stainlesssteel case is complemented by a marine-blue dial and a co-branded side-fastener buckle, featuring white and red colour accents, which are often used in Orlebar Brown’s product range. The nautical chronograph with elegant case proportions is worn on a blue rubber strap with textile inlay. Thanks to its robust design and waterresistance of 6 bar, this watch is ideally suited for either an action-packed adventure on the deck of a yacht or relaxing at the beach or pool. The IWC-manufactured calibre 89361 with flyback function displays the measured hours and minutes together on a subdial at 12 o’clock and has a power reserve of 68 hours.
A LEISURE WARDROBE FOR SMART MEN
Working together, IWC Schaffhausen and Orlebar Brown also designed a nine-piece “Capsule Collection” of resort wear. “Just like the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph, our collection combines timeless elegance and a love of adventure. During the design process, we drew inspiration from IWC’s Portugieser, a watch family that is traditionally associated with the world of water, sailing and navigation. Our collection is intended for men who successfully navigate through life, and the range supports the dynamic lifestyle of sailors, adventurers and explorers with good design, reliable functionality and supreme style,” explained Adam Brown, founder of Orlebar Brown.
The collection includes a white towelling blazer with blue piping and a cotton/silk knitted polo. A highlight in the collection is a photographic swim short with signature side fasteners, depicting a Solaris 55 sailing yacht in front of Porto Rotondo in Sardinia. This design celebrates the recently announced partnership with IWC and Italian luxury yacht brand Solaris.
The Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph Edition “Orlebar Brown” is available from July in IWC boutiques and from authorised retailers.
The “Orlebar Brown x IWC Capsule Collection” by Orlebar Brown and IWC is available from 15th July 2020 and customers can sign up now via https://www.orlebarbrown.com/iwc
ABOUT ORLEBAR BROWN
Since March 2007, British resort wear and lifestyle brand Orlebar Brown has reinvented holiday style for men, with their classic shorts remaining the original and best ‘shorts you can swim in’.
After the success of their photographic print shorts, Orlebar Brown introduced their Design Your Own service in 2015, offering customers the opportunity to create their very own bespoke pair of photographic swim shorts via the #SnapShorts app in-store and online.
From a lightening-bulb poolside moment to a wardrobe staple, Orlebar Brown has grown into a global brand with a rapidly expanding portfolio of international stores, an enviable list of stockists and a burgeoning exploration into new product categories. Their stores can be found in more than 25 locations around the world, including London, Oxfordshire, New York, Miami, France, Istanbul, Greece, Australia, Kuwait and the UAE.
The brand has also amassed a growing customer community with a shared love of adventure via their social media initiative #OBsAroundTheWorld, which encourages customers to post images of themselves wearing OB. In addition, its host of reputable collaboration collections and celebrity fans has secured Orlebar Brown an unrivalled cult status.
Identifying four key categories in beach, sport, resort and coast, Orlebar Brown creates quality functional, timeless and tailored garments and accessories for each scenario to enable their customers to holiday better and share memorable experiences.
In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titanium aluminide and Ceratanium®. Preferring the principle of “form follows function” over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dreams and ambitions as they journey through life.
IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment, creating intrinsically sustainable timepieces that are built to last for generations. The company prides itself in training its own future watchmakers and engineers, as well as offering an excellent working environment for all employees. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.