Swim brand PANGEA outfits the modern man who wants to hit the beach in the same pair of shorts he'll wear to drink mojitos at the bar afterward. So...pretty much every man.

Founder Nick Bradley spoke to us on the phone from Los Angeles-where he oversees all (and we mean all) PANGEA operations-about recognizing the need for versatile clothing in his own life, which led him to start the brand.

He also spoke about the global travels which inspire PANGEA printmaking and the invaluable mentorship he's received from Paige Adams-Geller, the founder of Paige Denim.

What are you doing in L.A. at the moment?

We're based in L.A., by Venice Beach, and all our manufacturing, sewing and printing is done downtown.

What's on your agenda today?

Still wrapping up the 2016 resort collection. I'm sure your buying team is wondering where it is. We're getting the prints in, going around checking the quality of the material. And we're still doing minor production runs for this current season we've got going on. Just overseeing a couple different production processes. We're starting to work on an expansion outside swim, working on a couple t-shirts, which is pretty exciting.

What's your background in the apparel business?

This is my first apparel company I've ever worked on, so I don't have much to compare it to. I have friends and mentors who have larger apparel companies. One of my main mentors is Paige Adams-Geller from Paige Denim; I know you guys have a really good relationship with them. They have a lot of stuff made here, where I am right now. I also have friends whose companies make their products overseas, and while you can do that and get great quality, sometimes you don't have as much control. I set out in the swimwear business to create an under $100 swimsuit that was comparable to a $300-$400 swimsuit in quality and style. I don't want to compromise. Manufacturing downtown is a big point for us. I go through every short before it goes out, whether it's wholesale or direct, with a pair of trimming scissors. I'm the last person who inspects every short before it goes out in the market. Most people think I'm insane that I'm so involved. But it's important to me that when someone gets the product it's 100% perfect.

I understand what you're saying about an under $100 short being affordable. But to many guys that's still steep.

Oh yeah. I have friends who won't buy $100 swim trunks. I think the real difference between Pangea and a $50 swim trunk is that's not going to last you more than two seasons. Whereas I really believe in the quality of what we create. Anything above $80-$90, the real difference is quality and attention to detail.

What was your motivation for making a luxury product at a lower price point? Was there anyone or a brand that inspired you in that direction?

I wouldn't say it was a brand. So, I live on the beach and I have for a few years now. I basically live in a swimsuit. I remember shopping, searching for something that fit like a short and I could throw a t-shirt or button-up over, and would allow me to go into any situation. The only shorts that had that quality to me were $250-$300 shorts. To me, that price point was a little tough. So we set out to make a short you can swim in, and wear around, and that most people can afford.

What are the design hallmarks of PANGEA? Besides the detailed patterns and the waist cinches, both of which are really nice.

One of the biggest things about PANGEA and what the brand is built around is travel. From living in Spain and living in China, travel has been a huge part of my life, and it's where I find inspiration for PANGEA and inspiration in general. Each season we have a new destination or new focus in the world, and we build collections around that aesthetic: I bring in different fabrics, different textiles, whether it's rugs or tapestries or anything really, so we can get a unique short that's really worldly, in the best sense of the word. Our hardware is another big thing. I worked hard to create a short you can swim in.

Who designs the prints?

I work with two textile designers. This past season, I focused hard on tiles. I focused on northern African and Spanish tiles for inspiration. I found beautiful tiles from around the world, photographed them, brought them home, drew sketches that were inspired by them. Then I meet with my designers to bring them to life on fabric. Emberly Modine is the main designer I work with.

Can we talk about the shorts we're selling? What's going on in that short that looks like a sea life scene?

Those are all Iznik prints, which is a Turkish style of tile art. When I first saw Iznik tiles, I thought it was stunning the way the florals worked with each other with a smoke-like quality. The one you're seeing as marine life is actually a garden print. It's about foliage. We were just featured in GQ with that print. A lot of people call it the octopus print, which I think is funny, but it does look like an underwater situation. As long as people are thinking it's something they want to wear, I'm more than happy for them to call it what they want.

Can you say a little more about your professional background and mentorship?

I come from an advertising background, as a strategist at a firm, which is where I started working in the apparel space and branding. I've been interested in apparel but it's been a hobby. After seeing an open lane for my swim brand, I reached out to Paige Adams-Geller of Paige Denim, and she was nice enough to take a lunch with me. I came with drawings of the first collection. I had no idea how to make a garment. She walked me through the process, helped me get into the industry-they make everything in L.A., too, so that was really helpful. She helped me with fits. If anyone knows fits it's her. From her I've learned a true understanding of how a garment should fit, and how to think about fit not only for yourself but for someone else. For her it comes really naturally. She's my sounding board, my guide and has picked me up and dusted my shoulders off when I've made mistakes.

That's beautiful. She must see something in you.

Thank you for saying that. She's a wonderful person. She mentored me when I had sold only 100 suits. It's meant a lot to me and been inspiring to me.

Where are you traveling next?

Cuba. That's where our next collection is being built out of. We're traveling in the next few weeks to Cuba, planning to do a photo shoot. I'm also headed to Mexico City soon. I'm intrigued by the pyramids and the rich history that city has. As far as patterns, I want to visit Lisbon in Portugal-the textures on the walls and even just on sidewalks are stunning, from what I've seen.

-Andrew Matson