After 18 years of producing swimwear and ready-to-wear, Parke & Ronen is introducing underwear.
According to Parke Lutter, who cofounded the New York-based men’s wear brand with Ronen Jehezkel, the line has been a couple of years in the making.
“It took us a long time to get the product right,” said Lutter. “We wanted to find a good manufacturer and the right materials.”
The brand is starting simple with a collection that consists of two styles — a brief and a trunk with a logo waistband — that come in five colors (black, navy, white, red and charcoal). The underwear is made from a cotton spandex blend that feels like microfiber but is breathable.
Related Articles
The collection, which retails from $28 for briefs to $30 for trunks, is available at Parke & Ronen’s New York store and on its e-commerce site. It will also be distributed in specialty boutiques including Citizen Clothing in San Francisco and L.A. Sporting Club in Los Angeles this fall and holiday season.
You May Also Like
Lutter told WWD that going forward, the brand plans on growing the line to include more prints, a signature of Parke & Ronen’s swimwear.
The brand also produces rtw, which Jehezkel said was making steady progress.
For fall 2014, Parke & Ronen released an après ski collection that included items such as lounge pants, sweaters and hoodies that are typically worn to a ski lodge and spa. They’ve also drawn from that concept for the fall season.
“We are trying to figure out how do we become an all-year-round brand, but still maintain what we are known for,” said Jehezkel.
International expansion is top-of-mind for the brand and it recently added a global shipping option on its e-commerce site and has opened accounts with hotel and resort retailers abroad, including Pacha in Ibiza. Lutter told WWD that the biggest demand is coming from the U.K., Australia, Spain and Brazil. After reopening its Melrose unit last year and operating it on a seasonal basis, Lutter said the brand is looking for a permanent location in Los Angeles.