Meet the New Katama Bay-Inspired Swimwear and Apparel Line
Model Garrett Neff brings his must-have men’s swimwear line to the coast this summer.
Garrett Neff shows off the Airstream trailer from which he’ll sell his signature swim shorts and other menswear. / Photo by Stephanie Larsen
It’s a crisp morning at Colony Beach in Kennebunkport, and Garrett Neff is digging his Ford Explorer out of the sand. The international model turned clothing designer recently put down roots on the South Shore (he has family in the area), but apparently he hasn’t received the memo about letting air out of your tires before driving onto the beach.
“Don’t send this to @Chadtucket,” Neff begs with a smile, referencing the parody Instagram account about New Englanders who, among other things, get their cars stuck on the sand. We’re here for a test setup of his Airstream pop-up shop, which will be driven around the region this summer to promote his swimwear and apparel line Katama.
Inspired by childhood summers spent by Katama Bay on Martha’s Vineyard, Neff’s clothing brand hits the mark with that perfect blend of laid-back yet put-together pieces any New England guy would want to sport all summer long; the tees are broken-in and soft without looking drab, and the swim trunks come in a number of cuts to flatter any body type. They’re the kind of off-duty styles that go from beach to barbecue without missing a beat—or the kind of clothes worn by dudes who might get their car stuck on the beach, but look good doing it.
Garrett Neff (right) and colaborators Jackie Greaney and PJ Havel, of Seacraft Vintage, set up their shop-on-wheels. / Photo by Stephanie Larsen
Scenes from inside the Airstream. / Photo by Stephanie Larsen
Scenes from inside the Airstream. / Photo by Stephanie Larsen
To make Katama’s store-on-wheels look as prime as the merchandise, Neff enlisted New England’s favorite magpies, influencer couple Jackie Greaney and PJ Havel, to outfit the trailer with all sorts of regional ephemera, from nautical flags and kilim rugs to fisherman figurines and antique sailing books. Wherever the Airstream is parked this summer, you’ll be able to shop not only Katama merchandise but also treasures from Greaney and Havel’s Seacraft Vintage shop in Kennebunkport, as well as a limited run of exclusive products the two brands created together (see: the pocket tee embroidered with Seacraft-inspired buoys).
The project is a full-circle moment for Neff, who has stops planned from Kennebunkport to the Cape (check out the Katama Instagram page for details). “I have always felt an emotional connection here,” he says. “Plus, does it really get better than a New England summer?”
Things We Love
Photo courtesy of Katama
1 Katama x Seacraft “Ross II” tee, $80.
Photo courtesy of Katama
2 Katama x Seacraft “Emerson II” trunks, $175.
Photo courtesy of Katama
3 Katama x Seacraft “Derek” sweatshirt, $155.
