Faf’s famous ‘speedo’ is straight outta Port Elizabeth

On Saturday night after South Africa won the Rugby World Cup, the owner of BeanBagtheBrand, Kurt Schmelzer, 28, was busy pub-hopping when his phone rang.

“It was my dad. He said our ‘speedo’ was everywhere and Faf [de Klerk] wore it to meet Prince Harry!”

By the time he got to his social media accounts, pictures of the indomitable scrumhalf Faf de Klerk posing with the William Webb Ellis trophy in nothing but a baseball cap and a pair of “speedos” in the colours of the South African flag had reached both viral and iconic status.

Images of De Klerk shaking Prince Harry’s hand wearing the same outfit also spread like wildfire.

“My ‘speedo’ was at the right place at the right time,” Schmelzer laughed yesterday from his business in Port Elizabeth.

Schmelzer said he and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi both attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth.

“I started my business about 18 months ago and Siya phoned to ask if I didn’t want to send some of our products to the guys at the training camp. I sent a whole lot but never heard anything,” he said.

Meanwhile, he was marketing his brand to guys brave enough to pose in one of his swimming costumes with the picture of the month, winning free beer.

While social media was calling it underpants, Schmelzer said it was actually swimwear.

He said BeanBagTheBrand was created “to be a fun, quirky and cheeky brand.” While the skimpy design is known as a “speedo” in South Africa, Schmelzer’s company had to call them “swimming briefs”.

By Saturday night he had to put a message on his website: “We are sorry but Faf broke the internet and depleted our stock.” He had 150 “Saffa Swim Briefs” in stock and they were all sold out by Saturday night.

“We are taking pre-orders,” he said. “We will be able to deliver long before Christmas. We believe production will be completed before the end of November. However, we are giving ourselves a deadline of Christmas as it is better to under-promise and over-deliver. Just like the Bokke!” he laughed.

A tired Schmelzer said on Monday that things have been crazy since Saturday.

“I haven’t met Faf but I am hoping to do so this weekend when they are coming to Port Elizabeth,” he said.

Schmelzer said he hoped the sales of the Saffa Swim Briefs will also boost their efforts to support Animal Welfare, an organisation that looks after abandoned and surrendered animals in Port Elizabeth.

He said BeanBagTheBrand will be giving customers a chance to donate R50 when purchasing any product and they will match it with another R50. MC