10 Years of Our Iconic Octopus Swim Shorts

Back in 2012 we launched our very first collection of Tom & Teddies – bright, bold and gloriously graphic swim shorts featuring marine-life designs, including a fun, large-scale, two- tone Octopus pattern that very quickly became a bestseller.

Our distinctive Octopus print started out as a hand-painted illustration in a fresh blue and red colourway. Although an unusual combination of shades, our very first customers loved it – it appealed to both adults and kids, and the matching pairs of trunks were all snapped up within weeks.

Since those early days, we’ve restocked the Octopus print countless time in a range of different colour combos – each one as popular as the last. Ten years on and it looks as fresh and bold as ever – the epitome of Tom & Teddy style!

In celebration of our 10th Anniversary, we’ve re-released the original Red and Blue Octopus swimmers in matching pairs for men and boys. Snap them up for the big and little guys while stocks last… they’ll be your favourites forever!

The Top 10 Tom & Teddies

Now that we have 10 years’ worth of bright and bold Tom & Teddy swimwear in our collections, there’s a clear line-up of bestselling trunks to review! Here are the swimmers that we’ve sold out of and reprinted over the years… how many of our top ten designs do you have in your swimwear kit?  

1. Octopus

Of course, the top spot goes to our iconic Octopus print, our boldest (and the oldest) design of all time!

2. Turtles

The Turtles print has appeared year after year in our swim shorts collections, and in a whole array of different colour combos. The simplest of motifs, but so distinctively
Tom & Teddy.

3. Flamingos

When we released our Island Living Collection in 2018, this Flamingos print, in flattering shades of dark blue and pink, was an instant hit – and its popularity has never waned. These Rose Flamingos trunks are snapped up every time we re-stock them. 

4. Palms

Another Island Living design that continues to be a crowd pleaser. The pared-back outline just works so well as a bright, sunny, two-colour pattern. 

5. Pineapples

Totally tropical - what’s not to love about our large-scale, graphic Pineapples design? It launched in 2017 in a super-fresh Jade Green colourway (still available since you love it so much!) and keeps coming back in fresh new shades for each new season. 

6. Starfish

A relatively recent design. Debuting in 2020, this fun Starfish print continues to delight fathers and sons everywhere. 

7. Seagulls

Although the Seagulls print is now in our design archive, it was exceptionally popular in its heyday. A neat and sophisticated pattern that looked great in or out of the water.

8. Leaves

We took a simple monstera leaf motif and created an all-over print that really hit the mark for swims at the beach or pool. A 2019 design, it’s still available in a bold Sky Blue and Red colourway.

9. Boats

We’ve restocked our Boats swimmers a few times now, even though they’ve only been around for a couple of years. This flowing, carefree print is inspired by sailing on the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean Sea. 

10. Lobster

Curvy and contemporary, this Lobsters design has grabbed a place in our chart of top-selling trunks. Always a big hit with our father-and-son followers, it’s a playful print that works really well in punchy colour combinations.

9. Boats

We’ve restocked our Boats swimmers a few times now, even though they’ve only been around for a couple of years. This flowing, carefree print is inspired by sailing on the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean Sea. 

1. Octopus

Of course, the top spot goes to our iconic Octopus print, our boldest (and the oldest) design of all time!

2. Turtles

The Turtles print has appeared year after year in our swim shorts collections, and in a whole array of different colour combos. The simplest of motifs, but so distinctively
Tom & Teddy.

3. Flamingos

When we released our Island Living Collection in 2018, this Flamingos print, in flattering shades of dark blue and pink, was an instant hit – and its popularity has never waned. These Rose Flamingos trunks are snapped up every time we re-stock them. 

4. Palms

Another Island Living design that continues to be a crowd pleaser. The pared-back outline just works so well as a bright, sunny, two-colour pattern. 

5. Pineapples

Totally tropical - what’s not to love about our large-scale, graphic Pineapples design? It launched in 2017 in a super-fresh Jade Green colourway (still available since you love it so much!) and keeps coming back in fresh new shades for each new season. 

6. Starfish

A relatively recent design. Debuting in 2020, this fun Starfish print continues to delight fathers and sons everywhere. 

7. Seagulls

Although the Seagulls print is now in our design archive, it was exceptionally popular in its heyday. A neat and sophisticated pattern that looked great in or out of the water.

8. Leaves

We took a simple monstera leaf motif and created an all-over print that really hit the mark for swims at the beach or pool. A 2019 design, it’s still available in a bold Sky Blue and Red colourway.

10. Lobster

Curvy and contemporary, this Lobsters design has grabbed a place in our chart of top-selling trunks. Always a big hit with our father-and-son followers, it’s a playful print that works really well in punchy colour combinations.

10 Years of Our Iconic Octopus Swim Shorts

In 2012, we launched our very first collection of bright, bold, super-soft swim shorts for fathers and sons. Back then, it was hard to find great quality, mid-priced, matching trunks for men and boys… the idea for a range of versatile, comfortable and flattering swimmers was born.

Now in our 10th anniversary year, we’re very happy to say that Tom & Teddy has everything you need for a day at the beach. From UV swim shorts and rash guards to vacation-ready tops, shorts and tees, there’s a beach-ready kit for every big and little guy. And not forgetting our capsule collection of essential accessories, the finishing touches to every beachwear wardrobe: beach caps with a generous peak and adjustable fit; soft and flexible flip flop shoes; a roomy jute beach bag.

So, what’s next for Tom & Teddy? Well, that could be up to you… over the years your feedback and requests have helped shape the brand we are today. By popular demand, we already have a very exciting collection launch that’s due to arrive very soon – this one’s going to mark a fantastic new era for us (and for the families who love to wear our beachwear, season after season). We’re also proud to tell you that, this year, we set out on our journey to become a more sustainable company as we gradually introduce recycled swimwear to our collections. Over time, our trunks will all be manufactured using a blend of fabric that incorporates recycled plastic bottles.

Whatever’s on the horizon for Tom & Teddy, our mission will always be to produce super-sunny, super-soft beachwear that’s stylish and flattering and can stand the test of time. So, keep following us and keep telling us what you think – we can’t thank you enough for helping us reach this wonderful milestone.