Sunspel and the invention of the boxer short. Loose, breathable, and comfortable, the boxer short is an essential element of the men's underwear wardrobe. But this was not always the case. In fact, its popularity is relatively recent, and Sunspel played a key role in it.

The history of the boxer short began 100 years ago, on the other side of the Atlantic, in a boxing ring. Jacob Golomb, founder of the boxing brand Everlast, designed these shorts as a more flexible alternative to the belted leather pants worn by most boxers. It achieved rapid success when the legendary boxer Jack Dempsey, aka the Manassa Mauler, adopted it and rose to international heavyweight fame.

Throughout the 20s and 30s, they remained popular in the boxing world, but their elastic waist and lightweight cotton increasingly made them popular as underwear. They were adopted by the US Army during World War II and, like T-shirts, the parka, duffle coats, and trench coats, transitioned from the military to society after the war. Nonetheless, it remained strictly on the other side of the Atlantic.

Things changed when in 1947, John Hill, the great-grandson of Sunspel's founder, went on his honeymoon to the United States. There he discovered boxer shorts and (perhaps in an attempt to impress his new wife) brought the style back to Great Britain. He was not entirely satisfied with them and decided to use his tailoring skills to improve the design, adding a back panel, flattening and smoothing the seams, and using the world's finest woven cotton to create a truly comfortable garment.

Despite this new design, boxer shorts remained a niche style among men. However, in 1985, their fortunes changed and they became an overnight sensation. This was all thanks to Levis, who released an iconic launderette commercial. In the ad, ultimate heartthrob Nick Kamen strips down out of a pair of Levis jeans to the soundtrack of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it through the Grapevine." As he removes his trousers in front of the delighted onlookers, he reveals a pair of pristine white Sunspel boxer shorts.

Today, SUNSPEL offers a range of boxers and underwear to suit all tastes. They are manufactured in a family-run factory in Portugal that puts sustainability, energy efficiency, and high-quality production at the heart of everything it does. Their boxers are made from 100% extra-long staple cotton for maximum comfort.

When it comes to boxer shorts, nothing beats a Sunspel!