Joe Boxer sunglass style #17213

Nick Graham, founder of Joe Boxer, has garnered titles that reflect his wicked wit-Chief Underpants Officer (CUO), Lord of Balls, and his newest yet-Dr. Seymour Clearly. Graham has partnered with Charmant Group to launch Joe Boxer eyewear with style details that are as fun as the man himself. Since 1985, when he launched the first pair of men's boxer shorts with a detachable raccoon tail, Graham has built his $100 million plus company by using humor as the foundation for success. "Before I brought my product into the marketplace, boxer shorts were a very staid apparel staple," maintains Graham. "When I made a pair of crotchless boxer shorts to present as a gag gift, I realized I might be on to something."

He certainly was. With only $1,000 in start-up capital, Graham got his first break when Macy's West picked up his boxer shorts and they flew out the door. Then came Graham's infamous knack for generating publicity- which he learned by getting busted. One particular pattern of boxers consisted of $100 bills, and while Graham was developing the patterns, some kids noticed discarded patterns in the trash and notified authorities. Shortly thereafter, the Secret Service came knocking on Graham's door. The media picked up on the story and from then on, Graham has tied Joe Boxer to outrageously funny events."We don't advertise," says Graham. "Instead, we plan events like rocketing pairs of underwear into space and sponsoring the first underwear fashion show in-flight on Virgin Atlantic." 

Nick Graham, CUO, wearing Joe Boxer style #17010

Unlike other designers with flourishing mega-brands, Graham prefers building his company the old-fashioned way: By keeping it private and expanding the brand into other product categories. The Joe Boxer eyewear line features 19 sunglasses (that will retail from $28 to $45) and 11 ophthalmic styles with sunclips as an added option. The signature pair of sunglasses is semi-rimless and features a boxer shorts pattern that outlines the frame. At the end of the temple it reads: 'place ear here.' "A lot of our styles have operating instructions because we don't want anyone to choke on the glasses," Graham says with a sly smile. The "Change Daily" sunglass package includes a group of interchangeable temples and lenses. "We encourage people to change their sunglasses daily the same way they change their underwear," says Graham. The ophthalmic collection wholesales from $44.99 to $49.99.

And what kind of customer is the Joe Boxer eyewear targeted toward? "We never do demographic studies about who are customers are," responds Graham. "I do know our customer is defined less by age, more by mindset. Joe Boxer, the brand, is very eccentric. So those that are attracted to our product are people who understand our wacky sense of humor." FB