Bonobos

Our namesake is an awesome, but endangered, ape called the bonobo (buh-NO-bo, like banana with o’s and b’s). Bonobos are famous for being peaceful, intelligent, and extremely promiscuous. We think our founders couldn’t have picked a better namesake. One of the reasons I got so excited to join Bonobos 18 months ago was this ethos, which seems to permeate all we do. As our founders write on our “why the name” page:

“Why did we name our pants after the bonobo? We think the human race can learn a lot from a chimpanzee that shares 99% of our DNA (they are the closest relative species to ours, homo sapiens), doesn’t resort to violence, and that holds a tremendous respect for women.

All around you, you may see men who behave differently than you. Where you value emotional intelligence, they are hot-headed and scream at passing motorists. Where they degrade women, you respect your wives, mothers, sisters, and girlfriends—and you recognize that the most advanced societies are matriarchal ones (elephants and lions and humans, oh my!). Where they choose violence, you talk down your opponent tactfully and graciously. To paraphrase legendary rapper Too Short: real gangsters don’t start fights.”

To support the endangered Bonobos, we have become an official corporate sponsor of Lola ya Bonobo, a sanctuary for these critically endangered apes. Located just outside Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lola ya Bonobo means “paradise for bonobos” in Lingala, the predominant dialect of Kinshasa. Read more about our partnership here.

Here are a few ways you can help on Bonobos.com:

1. Help us bring in new customers via the “Bonobos Referral Game,” which you can find in your “my account” page after logging in at Bonobos.com. For every new customer we bring in this year, we will donate $1 to Lola ya Bonobo. We have already donated more than $7,000, and would love to increase our donation way north of $25,000 in 2009 alone.

2. Purchase featured products like the ‘Nanners swim suit. We donate $5 from every ‘Nanners purchase to Lola ya Bonobo

3. Make a donation directly to Lola ya Bonobo here: http://www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm. For just $20 a month, you can adopt one of the infants in the nursey.

Lola has been hit hard this year by large corporations who have cut back their donations. Get involved with us to help save this fascinating, elegant species!

Day 2 of the @Bonobos Will Tweet for Trunks Contest: @SarahHarperScot won our random drawing with her “Khaki Diaper Butt.”

By tweeting “khaki diaper butt #bonobos,” that is. We certainly hope she wasn’t sporting a diaper butt while tweeting—khaki, denim or Adidas track pants.

You came, you tweeted and you conquered by defining the notorious KDB and identifying offenders of this most heinous condition.

Here were a few of our favorites:

Congrats to Sarah and to yesterday’s winner, @dgl, who won with the help of our good pal, “Baron Von Cannonball.” If you haven’t won a Bonobos swimsuit yet, don’t get your khakis in a twist. There are still 28 days to win. Play daily, play stylishly and tell your pals to play too because after all, “friends don’t let friends rock diaper butt.” Get them in the game before it’s too late! Check back at 9AM for Day 3 of our little swimsuit sweepstakes. www.twitter.com

The only thing better than rockin’ a rad pair of Bonobos swim trunks this summer is sporting a pair you bagged for free! To celebrate the launch of Bonobos’ brand spankin’ new swimwear line, we’re giving away one pair of trunks every day for 30 days beginning on Monday, June 29. Premium fabric, vibrant designs, aggressive field testing. It’s go time.

Tweeting for trunks couldn’t be easier:

Follow Andy Dunn, Bonobos CEO on Twitter: @bonobos.

Beginning Monday, June 29, 2009 watch for our phrase of the day. We’ll tweet by 9 AM EST daily.

Simply reply to our tweet or create your own. It’s all good, as long as you include our daily phrase and #bonobos (hashtag included).

Just like that, you’re in there like swimwear. We’ll randomly draw a winner each day at 8PM EST. Winners will be announced on our Tweet Deck and on our blog.

When you win, we’ll send you a direct message on Twitter. Contact us with the information in our “direct message,” your choice of size and style from the Bonobos swimwear collection and your shipping info so we can get you out from behind the computer and on the beach in your new Bonobos.

Interested in purchasing discounted Bonobos trousers and shorts? Want to snag a one-of-a-kind sample and get in touch with your inner peacock?

We’ll see you there.

A few weeks ago we surveyed our customers—we asked which products you’d like (or not like!) to see us make next, how we might continue building an admirable brand, and many other questions aimed at learning how to serve you guys better.

We learned a lot, and are thankful to everyone who took the time to share their feedback. It was most fun sifting through the question, Why do you shop Bonobos? Some of the best responses are below:

In addition, ten respondents were chosen at random to receive one of our slick new swim trunks on the house. Congratulations—and thanks again!—to the following gents:

Lawrence Caliari, NYC

Kyle Rose, Florida

Anthony Morales, Chicago

Shahid Ramzan, NYC

Jay Ritchie, ???

John Sundahl, Wyoming

Emmanuel Genard, Massachusetts

Zach Hollander, NYC

Kevin Jones, California

Richard Silvera, NYC

Chadwick Sakonchick, by his own admission, is a bonobo. He is also a trouser enthusiast and patriot of the highest order.

What could possibly be more American than running a triathlon on Memorial Day in a pair of red, white, and blue seersucker trousers made with pride here in the USA?

Uncle Sam operating an apple pie concession stand at NASCAR?

Davy Crockett doing knife tricks at the Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Abe Lincoln and Dwight D. Eisenhower up in heaven having a Sam Adams with Jesus?

Way to go, Chad. You’re in good company.

Come join the Bonobos team from 12-5 pm this Saturday to celebrate the launch of Bonobos swimwear! Enjoy daiquiris, beers, and the best swim trunks ever made! (Complete with kiddie pool to take them for a test drive.) Swing by 59 W. 19th Street, Suite 6B for a good time and a chance to be one of the first to see Bonobos swimwear.  

The New York Enterprise Report, written by business experts for small and mid-size business in the New York City area, recently took an interest in Bonobos—specifically our hiring practices and why we’re called “ninjas.” (The association has always seemed natural to me—cleverness + efficiency + awesomeness = ninjas.) Turns out, the moniker is not just fun, but also somewhat strategic. Read more here!

Who are the most stylish gents in the world? What was so sartorially great about the Mongol Empire? What did Brian Spaly wear in eighth grade? LA2Day.com wanted to know, and his answers may surprise (and will certainly entertain) you.

Click here to read the interview!

I just read this recent article from the New York Times, and it was like hearing a favorite piece of music for the first time in a long while—instantly familiar but thrilling nonetheless.

In a nutshell, the chimmel suit is dead. Join me in a dance on its grave?

While double-digit declines have hit much of the retail sector, one of the few pieces of good news is one of the most surprising. In a reversal of every recession in the last 100 years, figures show that men have not cut back on buying clothes as much as women have. They’re not buying power suits—they’re replacing them.

“I have guys coming in here saying, ‘I don’t want to look like a banker anymore,’ ” said Eric Goldstein, an owner of Jean Shop, a premium denim store in the meatpacking district. He is now dispensing advice on how to look like a “creative professional.”

As the stringencies surrounding “business attire” relax, gents have the opportunity the infuse their workaday wares with a little more personality and flair. Flair does not necessarily mean flashy, attention-grabbing designs (just as “impressive” does not necessarily mean “expensive” or “trendy”); it means letting your clothes represent more of you, less of… well, what you’re “supposed” to wear. Gingham shirts, finely knit sweaters, a colorful yet tasteful silk belt—these are all fair game to wear and still be taken seriously (admired even) as a professional.

Yesterday I rode the subway to our weekly dodgeball match (which we DOMINATED, by the way). I sat across from a septuagenarian in a trimly tailored three-piece navy suit. He wore it comfortably—legs crossed—with simple loafers and a gray fedora. Matching, bright rose bow tie and pocket square belied a playfulness. The glint of a gold pocket watch chain deferred to the practices of the past. By modern professional standards (even conservative ones) he was dressed primly, but I could tell he felt confident and comfortable.

Meaning he was dressed to perfection.