It should come as little surprise that Thorsun Founder George Sotelo hails from California, also known as The Golden State where summer exists nearly year-round. Growing up between Los Angeles and Mexico, the weather and lifestyle, coupled with his rich cultural background, serves as the inspiration for his luxury swimwear brand. The bold prints and bright hues that adorn the fashionable-yet-functional shorts reference Mesoamerican art, a frequent source of inspiration for Sotelo. We caught up with the designer to hear more about how travel influences his swimwear brand.
How do you plan to spend this summer? Do you have any exciting summer plans?
This summer has started off with all work. It’s our busiest season between our summer collaborations with Fred Segal and The Surf Lodge, and Men’s and Swim’s market for July. I plan on staying local and I’ve been spending a lot of time in Bellport and Montauk. I’ll be travelling more this month as all our factories close and sales are done. I’m going to Bodrum with my Turkish friends, throwing a Thorsun pool party in Greece and also going to Bulgaria, which will be a new experience for me.
Describe your summer style.
My summer style is Thorsun, of course (shameless plug). During the summer, I go into uniform mode so it’s usually khakis, trunks and, now that we sell shirts, I’m typically wearing all Thorsun. I would call it “beachy cosmopolitan.”
What are some essential items for every summer wardrobe?
Birkenstock’s have been an essential item in my summer wardrobe; however, I’ve recently been wearing a prototype for a Thorsun sandal.
How do your travels inspire your design? Are there any destinations that have special meaning or influence in your work?
The key countries are Mexico and Brazil. Mexico is where my family is from and Brazil has become a second home for me. I’m obsessed with Rio, Tropicalismo and Brazilian modernism with inspiration from people such as architect Oscar Niemeyer.
How do your travels inspire your designs? Are there any destinations that have a special meaning or influence in your work?
One of my most memorable vacations was going to Carnival in my early 20s. We didn’t know anyone and it was my first time to Rio with my two friends. It was a new experience for everyone and we met friends we still keep in touch with to this day. I also had a very memorable experience in Bhutan. My friends and I were going down a river in a raft when it capsized and we all went off the raft into heavy rapids. I thought I was going to die. It was scary at the time but it’s turned into a great story and we all laugh about it to this day. It’s safe to say that I’ll never go white-water rafting again.
If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I’ve been to Africa once in 2005 and I’m eager to discover more. I definitely want to explore African beaches and interact there a little bit more as it is still a mystery to me.
