Written by Menswear Style in Interviews on the 21st January 2022

Riz are “Tailors of Sunshine”, a London swimwear brand with a simple mission to spread a little sunshine whilst having a positive impact on our planet. Riz realise that the world is as vulnerable as it is beautiful. With more people living in cities, living on their phones and constantly busy, there is a growing need to slow down and reconnect with nature. Their shorts are designed for a more thoughtful life, created to connect you to the beach and beyond. They only make shorts, believing in a ‘less but better’ philosophy, an approach perfect for conscious consumers who value both long lasting style and the environment. Both the clothing industry and our oceans are full of waste, which is why not only are Riz shorts beautiful and long lasting but since the birth of the brand in 2009, every pair of shorts have been made from recycled materials. At the end of their life, the shorts can also be returned and “Rizcycled”.

In a recent episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we interviewed Riz Smith, Co-Founder of Riz about the founding story of the London brand which simply makes men's shorts for the beach that are tailored, elegant and flamboyant. Our host Peter Brooker and Riz talked about finding a gap in the market, crowdfunding benefits, sustainability, recycled fabrics, timeless design, brand loyalty, and James Bond's swim shorts.

“We specialise in beach shorts and make them as fun and flamboyant as possible. When you go to the beach, you’re escaping your day-to-day, and our shorts are an extension of that. I think it's quite interesting in the sense that beach shorts and swim shorts are not what you would think of for a London-based company. But my first job out of university was actually for Speedo, and after that my career just snowballed into always doing sportswear or surfwear. I never thought I would become a beach short designer but I saw an opportunity in the market, and at that time 10 years ago it felt like there wasn't really an offering for swim shorts with a menswear aesthetic or something a little more aligned with men's taste. With all my experience, I thought why not try and make something. In the very beginning, the idea was to make a boardshort that was more tailored and elegant.”

This is a shortened transcribed edit of episode 145 of the MenswearStyle Podcast with Riz Smith, Co-Founder of rizboardshorts.com. You can listen to the full version below or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast player.

We sit down with Riz Smith of London-based surf wear brand Riz Boardshorts which makes tailored swim shorts from recycled materials.