Orlebar Brown's founder on building a brand around sun and style
In this exclusive interview, Emirates Man speaks to founder Adam Brown about the creative spark that launched the label, the role of travel and music in shaping its bold aesthetic, and how — nearly two decades in — he continues to keep the spirit of the brand fresh, fun, and deeply rooted in the pursuit of sunshine.
Adam Brown, founder of Orlebar Brown
Orlebar Brown has become the go-to label for vacation worldwide. Was it the decision from the outset to focus on high-end swim shorts – can you give an insight to what drove this decision?
It wasn't that I thought I had a great business idea, I was at a point in my life where I wanted something to do and I hadn't found the career, job, direction that was something I was going to follow for the rest of my life. I had an idea of a pair of shorts rather than a business, the tailored swim short. It was just a starting point. What I didn't know at the time was that a whole lifestyle brand around sunshine, travel and happiness could come from that one pair of shorts. I didn't understand the breadth and opportunity that pair of shorts had at the time. It was one product that I liked, which I wanted to wear and thought I could sell. The strategy started to take shape in years 2/3, when we could see the customers liking the product and we started thinking about what could be next. How could the initial idea of a tailored swim short grow into something bigger, that's when the strategy started to shape.
Orlebar Brown is rooted in a fun holiday aesthetic. Where do you source inspiration and how do you choose iconic prints?
Travel is the best way to find inspiration. Going to new places, seeing new things, exploring the markets, malls and shops are my greatest source of new ideas. We work with a number of archives and print houses, always looking for ones that grab our attention and then it might take us many seasons to make use of it. One of our signatures is finding gorgeous, vintage gentleman's prints from ties, cravats and scarves and re-imagining them into resortwear styles.
Orlebar Brown is very bright, bold and fun. Is there any music that you love that lends itself to the aesthetic of the brand?
My music tastes are always changing, and I find myself falling in love with new music when I travel to new places. I do love good musical theatre and am attracted to songs that are eclectic, emotional and uplifting. I am enjoying listening to the Californian daytime disco group Poolside.
What are your favourite pieces from the latest collection?
Navy Bulldog, Bulldog Drawstring, the brown linen shirt with three buttons, navy pleated linen shirt.
15 years in, how do you keep the brand fresh and relevant?
As my role evolves at Orlebar Brown, as the team gets bigger, as we become more international, the constant challenge is how we maximise the opportunity for all the work that has been done over the last 18 years. We keep it fresh by constantly challenging ourselves and being our harshest critics by questioning whether we are doing the best we can, whether that's around product, events, in-store, customer service, or whatever it may be. Part of our culture/DNA is having that inquisitive nature to be our most sensitive but most aware critics.
What's the creative strategy for the brand – are there any new category expansions or collaborations on the horizon?
We are at an interesting point in our life. We are 18 years old, just like any teenager who feels they are reaching adulthood, there are many directions your life could take. For Orlebar Brown, there are obvious ones around product development, we are just starting accessories. We are well established with swimwear, tees, polos, shorts and trousers. So now we have our first bag coming out and shoes, our leather slides had great success. I think they are a big first step into far bigger and more exciting product development in the future. On a geography level, the challenges must be around being international, as our footprint becomes more established, we are constantly thinking of how we can attract new customers and find new friends around the world.
You seem to see the fun in fashion. How important is it to keep the spirit of the brand fun?
That's something I constantly question myself about, something innate that comes from the product, a group of people, but specifically the product. We started with tailored swim shorts, our tailored swim shorts are worn on holidays, holidays are always that place where it's sunny, with friends, listening to music, eating delicious foods, meeting different people — they are always memorable moments that focus on happiness and enjoyment. It starts with the product and where the product is worn is reflected on that idea of sunshine, happiness and enjoyment. If it doesn't feel sunny or summer, we shouldn't be doing it.
Why is the Middle East region an important market for the brand?
On a personal level, the Middle East has a special place in the Orlebar Brown brand journey. I remember testing one of the very early samples here in Dubai, some of our first stockists were in Dubai and very early on we could see customers ordering from Dubai. When we look around the world and think of places that are sunshine and happiness, where else is the best place but Dubai? Everyone has worked so hard throughout the years to establish OB in the Middle East, it seems to be a very natural fit and journey for us that I hope is only just the beginning.
What have been the milestones in your career so far?
My life milestones and Orlebar Brown's brand milestones are indelibly connected.
In those very early days, the first big milestone for me was being in a department store and feeling the product could work. When I stood in Selfridges at weekends and watched the customer interact with the product, that was a massive milestone for me personally, as well as the brand.
When I started seeing repeat customers, it just gave me confidence and started to believe the brand could grow. Seeing our product in Skyfall was another huge milestone for me, seeing the effect of Orlebar Brown being featured in such a large international franchise like Bond.
The sale in 2018 with Chanel is deeply personal to me and huge for the brand. It's all too intertwined, there's no way there can be some separation when you start something from your spare room, with no skill, background or knowledge.
What are the lessons you learned as you scaled the brand successfully?
There are so many lessons you learn when you start your own business. There are several things I can say — from learning to say no and acting differently to all the competitors around. Something about focus — the fact that we started with one pair of shorts and not a huge collection, that was a massive lesson we learnt early on. One of the reasons I think we broke through is that we had clarity around our message and product. Ultimately, one of the lessons is not keeping your customer too narrow, making sure the opportunity for the brand stays broad — for us, being international and not specific to one country already gives the brand opportunity. That adage, 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail' — keeping the opportunity wide open and maintaining true to your values.
How are you planning to spend your summer and where are you heading?
I had a lovely holiday in January in Uruguay, so I'm already feeling quite spoilt. I had some time in Cape Town and was lucky enough to come back to Dubai. I live in the countryside and it's very rare in England to have such good weather, so I think for the summer months I will enjoy the weather there. I will be heading to the South of France for a week in August and potentially a few days on an island in Greece. – For more on how to look smart and live smarter, follow Emirates Man on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied
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