I’m sure you’ve read about Moleskine’s foray into new product lines such as backpacks, reading glasses and other non-notebook items. They’ve been a little vague about the full extent of their expansion, but through some behind-the-scenes contacts, I managed to get one of the first samples for review: Moleskine underwear, aka “Moleskivvies!”

From the catalog:

“Lightweight cotton panties for the global nomad, in black, with the legendary ribbon marker. Moleskine’s indispensable elastic band encircles the waist and leg openings. The men’s version includes an expanding front pocket.“

They’ve really done a great job incorporating all of Moleskine’s classic design elements in a tasteful way. The tag inside the underwear even faithfully reproduces the famous “in case of loss” form from the notebooks:

It’s sort of hard to see in that photo, so here’s a closeup:

Each pair of underwear comes packaged in a colored paper band, echoing the iconic branding of the notebooks:

These underpants really do embody the creative lifestyle that has been the hallmark of artists and writers such as Picasso, Hemingway and Chatwin, who were known to wear “sous-vêtements” made by a tiny lingerie shop in Tours. As Chatwin so memorably recounted in his lesser-known classic “The Thonglines,” today “les vrais sous-vêtements ne sont plus” but Moleskine has resurrected this contemporary version which honors their legacy.

Happy April Fool’s Day!
And just in case, I’d better mention that this is an unauthorized parody which is in no way connected to or approved by the actual Moleskine brand. “MOLESKINE ® is a trademark registered by Moleskine S.r.l.”