SunBarth Rocks Southampton with European Surfer Flair

Thierry de Badereau, owner of the Tom Beach Hotel and La Plage restaurant in St. Barth, partnered with Alexandre Daniel to open the SunBarth boutique in St. Barth in 2009. The pair's beach-chic style expanded to their first location in the Hamptons in 2011. Their newest store opened this season at 14 Jobs Lane in Southampton. We're crushing on the store's relaxed yet sophisticated look and feel that emphasizes a European surfer vibe. We caught up with Alexandre Daniel to talk men's fashion, wooden paddleboards, and father/son apparel.

Congratulations on the new store! How are you bringing the style of St. Barths to the Hamptons?
Thank you! We are really proud of the new location. Our customers have been very complimentary, they are world travelers and know how to enjoy the good life. Seeing the high number of people from the East End in St Barts made us want to bring them the SunBarth look to the Hamptons. My business partner Thierry de Badereau and I choose brands that reflect the Hampton's joie de vivre and lifestyle.

What's the ideal outfit a man should wear to the beach?
Without a doubt, an Orlebar Brown swimsuit (the St. Barth photo print!) which is not too long, like 3-4 inches above the knee, and a great solid cotton tee. You can add chic sunglasses from IC Berlin and waterproof Muro sneakers.

You can accessorize it with wooden paddleboards from Brazil and a bracelet from Luis Morais. Then you're ready for the beach!
What are your favorite trends in men's beach fashion right now?
Swimwear with geometric prints are definitely on trend right now. Also, lengths are getting shorter which is in keeping with the European style.

Usually the emphasis is on women's fashion, what made you want to get into peddling men's wares?
I've always worked in men's wear. I started with the swimwear brand Vilebrequin, which ignited my passion for this industry, which keeps on growing. New brands emerge each year that brings a cool fresh breeze to the beach!

The majority of your brands are European. Are these companies resonating with your Hamptons clientele?
Most definitely. Our customers love to travel and the styles and brands they see in St. Tropez, Hawaii, or St. Barts, they want here.

But we also carry a lot of domestic great lines as well. Aviator Nation, for example, is hard to keep in stock.

The matching father/son apparel is adorable. Are a lot people requesting these types of outfits?
It's one of our specialties; Orlebar Brown and Sundek do this very well. To me there is nothing nicer than seeing a father and son having fun on the beach with one of our matching suits. It makes my day!