The Time Is Right ~ Saxx Underwear

May 20, 2016

We are one month away from Father’s Day and even though I planned to post this blog closer to the mark, I am chomping at the bit to get this message out. I’ve been watching the men’s underwear market from a distance for several years now trying to figure out the best positioning for a commodity that has retail potential in a woman’s lingerie store; after all, most men’s clothes are purchased by women. But OTB $ are tighter than ever and it takes an investment to launch an entire classification successfully. Nonetheless, I can’t ignore the Saxx Underwear Co. and its success story. If any new category is going to break the barriers of this feminine sanctuary, it will surely be Saxx’s patented mesh panel underwear, created by an athlete and a die-hard outdoors-man

When I first saw this revolutionary product at Curve two years ago, I was intrigued, mostly by what seemed a somewhat strange mechanical display of how the garment functioned. But there Saxx was, show after show, ensconced in the midst of an ocean of women’s intimates, consistently busy. I decided to dive deeper and what I have discovered is a pioneer in a commodity industry that has become one of the fastest growing men’s underwear brands in North America. By engineering a product geared to the way a man is built, they have created a wholly new article. The innovative mesh panels form a comfort pouch that “keeps everything in place, preventing unwanted friction and movement to reduce chafe and allow contact-free support”

Here’s why I believe this is a perfect merchandising bonanza for a savvy retailer: My husband is the quintessential blue jean, plaid shirt, boxer and boot guy. When I showed him the Saxx sample, he would not wear them because “I need a fly front”. We are not talking about a guy into trends. But conversely, he has an excellent eye for quality so he decided, based on the incredibly supple fabric, to wear them to the gym. In one wearing, he was hooked. Now, he wears them exclusively during his daily exercise routine and will not agree to a substitute. Just like a woman’s sports bra, he claims they are an essential element in his workout wardrobe. If I were not in Cabo right now (can’t find them here), I know what I would give him for Father’s Day this year.