Tombolo Defines ‘Escapewear’ With Its New Nostalgic Nautical Collab

Today marks the highly anticipated release of a collection that’s making waves in both the fashion and seafaring circles. Tombolo’s collaboration with Boston Whaler® – America’s most iconic boat builder — is now officially available, and it lives up to our briniest maritime fantasies. The collection comprises eight unique pieces, or nine if you count the boat Tombolo is restoring.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tombolo

Tombolo’s co-founders, Chris Galasso and Mike Sard, explained the inspiration for the partnership: “We grew up with Boston Whaler. A 1974 Boston Whaler ’13 was the boat that fired our lifelong passion for adventure on the water. Its faded ‘Whaler Blue’ deck served as the stage for our best summer memories — memories that formed the foundation of our aesthetic vision for Tombolo. Since day one, it’s been a dream to collaborate with a company we admire so immensely and have enjoyed so personally.” This collaboration comes on the heels of several successful partnerships with the brand, like the Le Sirenuse x Tombolo collection, giving the same nautical nod.

Boston Whaler has been an iconic fixture among the American seafaring crowd for over seventy years. Since 1952, it has made boats that have become synonymous with adventure and durability. It was vaulted into the national spotlight in the early 1960s when founder Dick Fisher was photographed in Life Magazine aboard one of his 13-foot Boston Whalers as it was being sawed in half. He wanted to prove that his new method of construction (two layers of fiberglass sandwiching a buoyant foam core) was unsinkable. Flip the page and a full bleed image of Dick Fisher motoring around in the sawed-off back half of the boat hammers home the point: the ‘Unsinkable Legend’ was born and America took notice.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tombolo

The Boston Whaler® x Tombolo collection features eight pieces of ‘escapewear’ — which is Tombolo’s preferred nomenclature for its often surreal resortwear range. The clothing is replete with details and design cues from both Boston Whaler and the broader boating world. According to Galasso and Sard, “The best part was collaborating with the Boston Whaler team to bring this to life — their input was immensely helpful as we navigated the design process. The goal was to make a collection that could exist happily among both the fashion crowd and the genuine boating crowd. That was a challenge because those two crowds are sometimes unlikely to mix.”

When reviewing the collection, I noticed an attention to detail and a level of craftsmanship that somehow felt consistent with the spirit of boat building and seamanship. The hull stripe and harpoon logo from the boats is faithfully recreated in chain stitch embroidery with laser precision. Elaborate stopper knots finish drawstrings that exit nickel eyelets. Zig-zag sailcloth stitches create shapes that look like signal flags.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tombolo

The fabrics and silhouettes are decidedly nostalgic, referencing the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s — when Boston Whaler was ascending to its now legendary status as a symbol of freedom and exploration on the open waters. Tombolo has made a name for itself for its use of terry cloth and this collection is no exception. The collection uses organic cotton terrycloth abundantly, mimicking the necessity for the towels on boat adventures.

In addition to this collection, Tombolo purchased a 1968 Boston Whaler as the centerpiece of this partnership. Galasso and Sard explained, “The boat was acquired from an acquaintance on Shelter Island. It had been sitting on a flat-tired trailer in a yard for 10 years. Even in dilapidated disrepair, a Boston Whaler has utilitarian charm in droves. We put it in the water for the first time in a decade on the day of our photoshoot, and of course, it was up to the task. It was the real start of the shoot.” Tombolo plans to restore the boat to its original glory and infuse it with a bit of Tombolo flavor. It will be unveiled at a later date. The sixteen foot is a testament to Boston Whaler’s legendary resilience and adds an authentic touch to the campaign.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tombolo

Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a landlubber with an eye for coastal chic, the Boston Whaler® x Tombolo collection invites you to dive headfirst into a world where style meets seaworthiness. Embrace the spirit of adventure, celebrate timeless design, and go full throttle into summer with a wardrobe that’s as unsinkable as it is stylish.