Next To Nothing (N2N) Fashion Show Preview: Candid Underwear

Model, Tommy W.

   The balance between a fun look and a comfortable fit is quite difficult, and that’s exactly the gap that Candid Underwear identified in the market. The choices for underwear that you could wear to work were comfortable but boring, while the cute, playful and fun underwear just weren’t comfortable enough to wear all day at the office. “So we decided to create Candid Underwear to fill that gap with something comfortable enough to wear to work and fun enough to hope you get caught with your pants down after work,” says Jason Langford, CEO of Str84ward Group, LLC and Candid Underwear. 

Model, Cameron R.

Model, Albert D.

   When you look up the word candid, you get the description of something outspoken, open and free from disguise. That’s exactly the kind of fashion statement that Candid Underwear set out to create. One of things that brought the founders of Candid Underwear together was their mutual frankness and their ability to always be candid with each other. “The reality is, every guy is built a little differently, and thank God for that, because it would be horribly boring otherwise,” explains Langford. 

   Candid spent a lot of time in the design phase for the cuts of their brief and trunk, trying to get just the right fit for the widest variety of guys. “They have to be comfortable and that’s what we demanded of our design process,” he adds. He admits that it can be a very long and very exhausting process to get a line of designer underwear from concept to production to on guys’ bodies.  “You come to a point where you’re doing it because you really love the work of it and not just because you think it sounds like a dream career,” says Langford. “I mean, long days of watching male models take off their clothes to show you what they look like in underwear you've designed so that you can then pick the hottest ones to style and position like your own play dolls for photo shoots is extremely stressful,” he laughs. 

Model, Cody F.

   Candid Underwear’s primary target demographic is gay men, but also straight women who buy for their husband or boyfriends.  “We think the Candid collections appeal to the gay aesthetic, since we are gay men and they resonate with us in different ways,” explains Langford. “We knew going in that straight guys would hardly ever pick out our underwear themselves, but we did think there might be some women who would want to see their man in something a little more fun and we've seen that happen some.”

Model, Ian R.

   One of the Marketing slogans of Candid Underwear is “Be Perfectly Candid,” and aside from being catchy, it also captures what the company truly stands for. Candid Underwear believes that everyone has a right to be themselves, their true self, without fear of any reprisals, violence, discrimination or hate. “Having pride is about being yourself, and to be perfectly candid, yourself is the only way to be,” says Langford. “That’s why we always support the Pride festivities.” 

   Candid Underwear is showing their support this year by featuring their current Candid lines in Knoxville’s Next To Nothing Fashion Show, including Candid’s Chromatic colors and their signature Houndstooth and Plaid in a variety of colors. “We are excited to be a part of Knoxville Pride and the Next To Nothing fashion show,” says Langford. “We hope it's a great success and, most of all, great fun!”

   Everything you’ll see on the runway is available online at www.candidunderwear.com. Candid is always offering free shipping and a special “buy one pair, get another free” just for Next2Nothing and Knoxville Pride; the discount code is KNOX13. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter, where they have specials throughout the year exclusively for their social media followers.

   The "Next To Nothing" Fashion Show is happening on Thursday, June 13th at 8:30 PM at Club NV in Knoxville's Old City. This event is part of Knoxville PrideFest, and it's their biggest fundraiser of the year. Along with an incredible fashion show, there will also be an auction where you can purchase the designs seen on the runway. For more information about the "Next To Nothing" Fashion Show, check out the website (www.knoxvillepridefest.com), Facebook (facebook.com/knoxpridefest), and Twitter (@KnoxvillePride).