“Birdwell is like the Levi’s of surf,” says designer Todd Snyder, of the 55-year-old Californian brand. “It’s the most authentic, original version of surf trunks.” Snyder recently teamed up with Birdwell Beach Britches to release a co-branded collection of trunks augmented with a jacket, t-shirt, hat, towel and tote. Many of the pieces in the collection are in a subdued color palette called “Moonlight Surf,” but shorts in saturated greens and reds are available for customers wanting something more striking.
The collection makes sense for Snyder, who has collaborations with other classic American brands like Champion and P.F. Flyers. It recognizes that Birdwell is an important American brand with a wealth of history and a standard of quality akin to other heritage manufacturers. “This is a product that wears in, it doesn’t wear out,” says Geoff Clawson, the president of Birdwell. “In 20 years, if you have the blessing of still being able to fit into your Birdwells, they’ll be better than they were the day you bought them. You will have earned that sun fade — that will be memories soaked into the garment.”
