Hitting half a century, Vilebrequin has never felt as young as today. Its secret? Practicing the art of living in the sun all year round.

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In celebration of their 50^th anniversary, renowned French luxury swimwear brand Vilebrequin has launched a standalone collection of 50 collector’s edition swimsuits, one per year from 1971 to 2021, allowing a rare chance to dive back into the House’s archives, know-how and personality.

Founded in 1971 by Fred Prysquel, the brand was born as a product of the joy and freedom of the spirit of St-Tropez in the 1970s. Ever since, Vilebrequin has remained anchored in its founders’ world: bold and colorful, elegant yet lighthearted, big on fun, and even bigger on freedom. Season after season, Vilebrequin promises elegance on vacation, passing on a lasting idea of casual charm, from father to son and mother to daughter.

In honor of their 50^th anniversary, Vilebrequin’ s visual identity has been given a vintage-pop makeover for the occasion. Sea turtles — the House’s longstanding muse — already have their costumes sorted: Neo-psychedelic “50”-shaped shells. Stickers echoing Vilebrequin’ s take on life dance around them, while the iconic blue shade is tinged with lagoon, orange-yellow, and violet sunsets. Specially designed by Studio Yorgo & Co, this standout identity features a wide range of collector’s items, including the limited-edition labels for the men’s anniversary collection and the spinnaker swimwear bags they come in.

Playful, impertinent, unique, these anniversary editions are a chance to explore what makes the brand: a fearless approach to color, a fascination with patterns and the different techniques they require, prints that aren’t always what they seem, and fun-loving trunks. The reinforced side seam proves that craftsmanship is everything.

Feet in the sand, head in the sky, Vilebrequin intends to surprise and inspire generations of vacation lovers for another fifty years to come! With this in mind, the House is pleased to offer clients a one-time complimentary repair service on their unique edition swimsuits should they start to show any signs of ageing after years of sea and sun.

REINVENTION

Reinvention is the very fabric of Vilebrequin. In 2021, recycled or recyclable materials already represent 50% of Vilebrequin’ s collections (among them 62% of its exclusive anniversary men’s swimwear collection); by 2023, that figure will rise to 80%. Plastic waste collected by Mediterranean fishing boats, industrial by-products, textile offcuts, plastic bottles… the brand has hunted high and low to secure innovative, high-performance fibers that are as luxurious as standard fabrics, if not more so.

SAVING THE TURTLES

In 2016, Vilebrequin began working with French Polynesian nonprofit Te Mana O Te Moana (“The Spirit of the Ocean” in Maori) to flip the conversation on sea turtle conservation. Founded in 2004 by vet Cécile Gaspar, the Moorea-based clinic ensures local marine environments and sea turtles are preserved for future generations.

Thanks to the generous donations, Vilebrequin’ s spirit animals aren’t just surviving but thriving: the brand is pleased to report 1,500 injured sea turtles have been cared for and released back into the ocean. In contrast, 10,000 local school children have already taken part in awareness programs. Vilebrequin continues to support Te Mana O Te Moana’s work, having raised a total of $189,000 from sales of our annual Worldmap Dots charitable trunks, with $10 from each pair going directly to the association.

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION

With Vilebrequin’ s 50th anniversary approaching, the question was: how is it possible to do more? Set for launch in March 2021, the Foundation Vilebrequin aims to promote marine biodiversity globally. After lengthy consideration, three critical motors of change have been identified:

• Protecting marine ecosystemsby funding grassroots initiatives designed to raise awareness and drive ocean conversation globally.
• Planning for our children’s future by supporting education and prevention initiatives.
• Promoting sustainable fashionby investing in R&D to source innovative, green solutions, increase recycled and upcycled materials directly impacting ocean conversation, and reduce the brand’s overall footprint and waste.

GO: The 50th Anniversary Collection will be available in full from March 2021 at selected Vilebrequin flagships and vilebrequin.com. Clients wishing to preorder a year or pair dear to them will be able to place their request in stores and online.