Guest Review: M-N Briefs

Today I'd like to introduce you to an enthusiastic new guest contributor Tantalus.  If all goes well and you like what he has to say, I'm hoping to make him a permanent part of the MUB team!  Please let us know your thoughts.  ~UMan

Uman previously reviewed M-N’s line of trunks.  As you might remember from the review, the trunks are cut high enough that they almost look like a longer brief.

Tantalus in M-N briefs.

Their briefs, however, are a good deal shorter.  As far as the fit goes, the angle in the back is much more severe than the trunks leading to an accentuated butt.  The inner thigh cut is still rather conservative.  Men with ample junk: This design is practically made for you.  The design has a pouch in the front and enough fabric around it on the inner thighs so that you won’t hang out the sides.

Comfort-wise, these briefs have a feel very similar to their trunk counterparts.  The fabric is the same: a cotton-elastane blend that stretches nicely without digging into your skin.  They stay reasonably close to your skin even after a full day’s wear, a welcome change from some cheaper band fabric. In short, the basics on this underwear all function well.

The style of this range hasn’t changed too much. The specific style I’ve been wearing, Street Squares (Pictured), has a vertical stripe-seam on the pouch.  All of the briefs also have a seam directly down the center of the brief’s backside (a key difference from the trunks) that does a great job breaking up the print in an edgy way.  It makes whoever is checking out your backside think, “Wait, what? I gotta look again!”  Finally, there’s some interesting double-stitching going on in the thigh elastic; the creators of this line clearly paid attention to every detail.

The briefs are extremely well made and tend to last, much like the trunks. Everything fits tightly, and each stitch and seam fits extremely well with the overall design and enhances the cut.  The elastic is durable and lasts. Men with junk in the trunk, though, beware – you might have to make some adjustments throughout the day.

TANTALUS' RATING:

Overall, I give the M-N Azure Range Brief a total score of 9 based on the following criteria:

FIT -- 8 (out of 10) - Brief, severely cut in the back. 

COMFORT -- 9 (out of 10) - Soft and smooth fabric.  Ample pouch keeps everything in place. 

STYLE -- 10 (out of 10) - Distinct and edgy look.

QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10) - Well made. Great attention to detail. 

VALUE -- 8 (out of 10) - Slightly expensive, but worth the investment.

**********9

M-N Reviewed

Earlier this year I introduced you to a new brand called M-N hailing from Mauritius.  Today I'd like to take the opportunity to review one of the products from the AZURE range, specifically their trunks.  For the purpose of this review I tried the Cherub trunk in blue. 

Starting with the fit, it is rather unique.  It is billed as a trunk, but the legs are not quite as long as standard trunks are.  In fact, when I was putting these on today for review I was debating whether they were technically trunks or briefs - the fit is somewhere in between.  From the front, the legs angle up a bit from the pouch as would briefs.  But from the back it is clear that these are trunks and not briefs as the fabric is cut more straight across as opposed to the more curved shape of briefs.  The rise is what I would bill as low-rise, but it is a nice comfortable low-rise that gives you the confidence that everything will stay put all day long.  

Moving on to comfort, the cotton elastane blend makes for a very soft fabric.  The pouch has enough room that you don't feel squashed.  But on the inside around the pouch there is an elastic band of the same material as the legbands that holds everything in place.  Now this is not like a enhancing strap or sling, it is completely attached to the interior of the pouch.  Rather it is there to ensure that the sides of the pouch stay tight and close to your body so that all the goods stay in place, while still allowing for a roomy pouch that is comfortable.  I think this is a really smart way of putting together a pouch, there is nothing artificial looking or feeling about it, it's just smart sewing/pattern making.  The waistband is thin and sits close to the body.  Made of soft elastic, I have no complaints about the waistband or legbands.  They all do their jobs well.

The style of this range is where it's really at.  As I explained in my brand profile, the AZURE range is the "fun range" of M-N's underwear.  It comes in a number of fun prints/patterns and colors.  Just sticking to the cherub trunks that I tried,  I really like the logo waistband with a metallic silver logo against a black background - it really makes for a classy and distinguished look above jeans.  The pattern is screen printed black silhouettes against a blue background making for a very crisp look.  You may ask why these are called cherub trunks, well there is a large cherub printed across the back.  And because the back has no seams, it makes for a perfect canvas for such a print.  The style of these undies makes them very unique, they aren't like anything anyone else is offering on the market.  

These trunks are very well made.  I actually have a number of pairs, and all of them show great attention to detail both in the design process and in the manufacturing process.  There are no loose seams or threads.  Everything is done perfectly.  The high quality is sure to last for a very long time.  Also, the fabric is printed in a special process that does not fade or get funky after washing, it is a part of the fabric.  At £32 (~$50 USD) they're rather expensive.  But for something so well made and so unique I think they're worth the investment for a pair or two. 

 MY RATING:

Overall, I give the M-N Azure Range Trunk a total score of 9 based on the following criteria:

FIT -- 9 (out of 10) - Cross between brief and trunk.  Roomy pouch holds everything in place. 

COMFORT -- 9 (out of 10) - Soft, comfy fabric. 

STYLE -- 10 (out of 10) - Unique and fun look.  Won't find it anywhere else. 

QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - Well made. Great attention to detail. 

VALUE -- 7 (out of 10) - On the expensive side but a good investment. 

**********9

New Brand: M-N Underwear

M-N is brand new company on the men's underwear scene, based in Mauritius the brand is heavily influenced by the mix of cultures, colors, and histories that exist there - there are African, Indian, and European influences on the island.  The brand is currently being sold in Mauritius, South Africa, Japan, UK, and soon to be sold under license in the US.  If you are in the US you of course can order online now through their website.  The brand is owned and designed by Richard Bennett, who is from the UK and has had many years of fashion design experience.  The overall look of the brand is bold, mixing at least two contrasting colors on every pair.  

There are three main lines, the  ZOM range which is simple and basic at an accessible price-point.  This range is young and stylish and is made from a cotton/elastane blend.  Then there is the AZURE range which is the mid-priced range.  This is also made of cotton/elastane and is what I would call the fun range of the three.  It incorporates lots of fun prints and patterns for a very bold, in your face look.  It comes in tight boxers (read boxerbriefs), trunks, and briefs.  And finally there's the G-SPORT range.  This is the more athletic range with high contrast, simple color-blocked designs.  The fabric on this range is made from bamboo and is designed to be extra supportive for sports.  This range comes in tight boxers, briefs, and strings (read thongs). 

I really love this brand and have had the chance to try a couple pairs.  So far I'm really enjoying them, I have to say the G-SPORT range has some of the softest waistbands that I have ever felt.  The bold colors and designs look very fashion-forward and with it.  People will definitely turn for a second look when you're wearing M-N.