Most fashion brands launch a summer collection with models walking a runway. Budgy Smuggler put Travis Head on Sydney Harbour and told a pack of fast bowlers to try and get him out.
The Australian swimwear brand unveiled its Summer 2026 collection yesterday with a launch that had no catwalk, no front row and no land. Australian cricketer and Budgy Smuggler brand ambassador Head took guard on a floating pitch, behind the super yacht Mischief in the middle of the harbour, kitted out head to toe in the new range.
Charging in at him were various bowlers – each wearing a different piece from the collection. Every delivery acted as a product reveal.
While a lot of brands are resorting to AI to churn out their campaigns and launches, Budgy Smuggler has done the exact opposite. No generated models, no green screen, no digital harbour. A real test cricketer, real fast bowlers and real salt water.
Budgy Smuggler decided to place a cricket pitch on the water because an Australian summer is full of cricket and getting in the water.
“We looked at the traditional fashion launch and thought, who’s that actually for?” said Adam Linforth, chief smuggler. “Our customers don’t watch runway shows. They watch the Test at the pub, then jump off a wharf. So we built the launch around that. Travis is the best in the world at what he does, and the harbour is the best office in the world. Putting the two together was the most Budgy thing we could think of.”
The Summer 2026 collection lands with a tonne of new prints across men’s smuggler, women’s swim and accessories The full range is available now on the Budgy website.
