A sun on the horizon, stylized and frozen in the moment of its rise (or setting?), with flaming, undulating rays dancing around it: the Sundek logo is a perfect graphic synthesis of the brand’s spirit. It inevitably makes us think of summer, of the sea, of long beaches populated by riders ready to ride giants that rise and roar for a few endless seconds until they crash on the shore.
The company was founded in the 1940s as Sun-Dek in California and was one of many swimwear manufacturers for the newly established post-war era. joy of life, nothing more and nothing less than to offer a service that the market demanded at the time, with well-calibrated proportions and great American cotton. At the heart of the project is a passion for Hawaii, ignited by the burgeoning surfing legend that was soon to change everything. The idea, then, was to combine the company’s growing experience in textiles – which had by now led to a significant improvement in synthetic fibers – with the adrenaline-fueled demands of the Beat Generation. It was something to write about, the young men of Honolulu in the late 19th century, half-naked, carefree, with wooden boards under their bellies, in direct contact with the wild side of nature. But their everyday needs required specific needs and a certain modesty.
nylon was an amazing performance, both alone and in mixtures, drying quickly with an acrylic finish whose pigments have a brighter, shinier and longer lasting pop. From 1958, the Shorts developed by Sundek for surfers of all levels became a mania. Monochromatic pieces in coral red, orange, light blue, bright green, yellow and optical white stretched as far as the eye could see on the line from San Francisco to San Diego and quickly made their way to the east coast. The model of these shorts was different from the usual canon up to that point: normal waist, drawstring for a more secure fit and a length that was neither narrow nor wide and reached above the knee. The Rainbow Boardshortsshorter and with a rainbow on the back from hem to hem, was launched in 1972, quickly became the signature piece of every collection and was later launched in Italy in the 1990s.
From Varazze to Santa Marinella, via Forte dei Marmi and down to Sicily and Agrigento, there was an underground movement of young people who felt as if they were part of Big Wednesday, when the teenagers were their parents. Even if the Mediterranean has nothing to do with the Pacific, it was a dream and a distraction from the disasters of a decade of social dramas and political scandals. With it came the fortune of Prato-based entrepreneur Luciano Pacini and his company Kikoff, which has managed Sundek’s European distribution licenses since 1979. In the landscape of printed Bermuda shorts and minimal briefs of the countless Rivieras, the Rainbow Broadshorts stand out for their uniqueness, accentuating the figure (of those who wear them) and distinguishing those with an international spirit. Without buttons, with velcro fastening at the front and back pocket, they set a trend worthy of emulation. We read about surfing veterans, and while names like Ken Bradshaw and Mark Foo pass from mouth to mouth, fueling a modern epic, the caustic Point Break emerges in the movies, showing a flip side of crime and rebelliousness.
A mix of light and shadow that fits into the images of summer and lands safely in the 2000s. A growing success that consists of collaborations, most recently with MSGM, Octopus and 10 Corso Como, and collections that are now complete with clothing. Since 2024 Sundek is 100% Italianowned by Simona Barbieri, who acquired it from the DGPA Capital fund and balances it perfectly on the crest of the wave, exuding a relaxed luxury.
Costume for men: Sundek
Sundek: Costume a Pantaloncino Tinta Unita
Sundek: Pantaloncino da mare corto with elastico
Sundek: Costume for Bagno a Fiori Uomo
