National Underwear Day was a lot of fun and has since received some national attention. During my time there I met with quite a few individuals who gave me an inside glimpse into the industry.
One of the more lighthearted moments of the day was when I had the chance to meet Ethan Reynolds and Benjamin Bradley, also known as the Ginch Gonch Boys! While talking to this dynamic duo (in nothing but their Ginch Gonches and their cowboy boots, of course), I learned more about how Ginch Gonch is attempting to revolutionize the men’s intimate apparel industry through their beyond basic offerings. 
Could you tell me a little bit about Ginch Gonch?
The brand is about two years old. It’s based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. However, New York is a popular hot spot for the brand.
What is the inspiration behind Ginch Gonch?
At Ginch Gonch, our motto is “Live Like a Kid.” Everything is bright and fun. Underneath your clothes you can express yourself in a different way. Be playful. One example is a pair of briefs with fire truck engines all over them. Kind of like underoos.
What impact is Ginch Gonch having on men’s underwear?
Other companies are now starting to imitate this idea. Ginch Gonch has paved the way for colorful and fun underwear for men.
Could you tell me more about the Ginch Gonch products?
One line we have is the Western line. The guys and girls actually have matching pairs. It allows couples to have some fun.
Some of the styles we have for men are the brief, low rise, sport brief. For the girls, we have thongs, briefs, and go-go briefs. The briefs actually have the look of the men’s brief.
The newest line for fall is called Jungle Fever. It features a lot of animal prints.
Do you think that guys are really going to go for this?
Guys are always a little resistant, but hopefully the influence of their girlfriends will help. They are starting to come around though.
Where can our readers find Ginch Gonch products?
They sell at mostly boutiques and are expanding to other stores, but they can be purchased at freshpair.com.
Many thanks to Ethan and Benjamin! They were absolutely delightful!
I received even more insight to some of the men’s trends while speaking with Jennifer Goldszer of Report Collection.
Could you please tell me about Report Collection?
The company was established in Canada and has a strong presence there and in Europe. Report Collection features men’s and women’s sportswear, swim and intimates. On Freshpair, men’s underwear and swim are available for purchase.We are happy to be a part of today and share our collections. Some of our top selling men’s lines include the Tencel collection and the bamboo collection. All of our collections use premium fabrics. You can see the entire collection at reportcollection.com.
Where do you see the company going in the next 5 years?
Report Collection is about providing basics with a fashion forward focus that everyone can wear. We have strong roots in fashion and want to retain them.
I look forward to following all the developments that Report Collection has in store.
The other industry insider I had the chance to meet with was Lauren Deatherage of Cotton Incorporated.
Tell me about how Cotton became involved with today’s event?
National Underwear Day is about underwear, which is something so personal. Consumers want underwear that is comfortable, fashionable, fun, and easy to care for, and those are all attributes of cotton. We do a lot of lifestyle monitoring. We survey consumers to see what they prefer and we have found they prefer natural materials, like cotton, as opposed to a synthetic material, close to their body. They want something breathable.
What kind of trends are you noticing?
A lot of cotton boyshorts. With the flouncy skirts and dresses that are popular now, women want coverage without showing panty lines. Cotton boyshorts allow them that freedom. I also notice a lot of bright and fun colors.
How about with men?
There are a lot more tailored boxers and boxer briefs. Men’s pants are now skewing a bit slimmer so men need undergarments that work well under these style pants.
What are some brands that you like and why?
I really like Diesel for men because they have lots of bright and fun colors. Ginch Gonch also is fun. They have a Western theme and some denim inspired prints. Hanes has always been a staple. Now they are producing more bright, bold colors to their cotton basics. They are becoming more fashion forward. I also like Le Mystere and Natori. They have some beautiful cotton and lace pieces.
Thank you to Lauren! It was great to see that cotton is still an important staple in the intimate apparel industry.
Still want to recreate National Underwear Day? Here is some more footage of the runway show. Continue to visit TLP for more coverage, including more pictures of the beautiful (and very brave) models, as well as more on the trends and the innovative collections from the trade show and the CILA awards!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZR-AayNTqo[/youtube]