Julius Martin is bringing the heat this summer. At a recent fashion event earlier this summer, several handsome black men proudly strutted their wares modeling Martin’s Berdan Clothing Line featuring dazzling prints and styles of underwear. Tony Binns
How did you get into the underwear business?
When I lived in NYC I worked as a fashion designer for over eight years. One day I was thinking about designing my own line, but I felt that the industry was ove saturated with apparel designers. I wanted to focus on a line that was different and not the same as the masses. So I decided to focus on men’s intimate apparel. Intimate apparel was a new market for me because my background was in young men’s and men’s contemporary sportswear. I did my research and studied the market and become even more drawn to wanting to design my own intimate apparel line, and Berdan New York was born.
What’s probably the biggest misconception about men’s underwear?
One of the biggest misconceptions about underwear is that underwear is just underwear. The fit, style, and brand do matter. Men want comfort and want to feel sexy and confident too. And the right brand knows how to customize their construction for their particular market and identify with a lifestyle.
In your experience what do most men gravitate toward; boxers, briefs or something in between?
Most guys gravitate towards Boxer Brief but it really depends on what guys are wearing. If a guy is wearing more fit[ted styles guys should gravitate toward brief or bikini brief, while boxer brief would be for a looser fit.
Do you think that there is a difference in the overall body structures that makes designing for blacks more challenging?
No. All men of any race have different body structures. My brand has a universal fit for every man not just for a particular race or ethnic group.
What is it about your brand that separates you from everyone else?
Berdan New York is a luxury line at a reasonable price point. Berdan New York has a great elastic and Lycra retention in its fabrication. It creates a comfortable fit that can hold you throughout the day. Its soft blend cotton with Lycra creates a softness yet firm fit with constructional details. It has impeccable trims and details with a luxury brand image.
