King Underwear Takes the Crown

 Favorite Best Men’s Clothing Store

Last month, the Houston-based brand King Underwear was awarded OutSmart magazine’s 2024 Gayest & Greatest Award for Best Men’s Clothing Store. As the world stood still during the COVID-19 pandemic, Donald Simon III founded King Underwear with a mission rooted in inclusivity and a desire to provide representation across all body types and skin tones.

“There were a couple of years where we weren’t acknowledged,” reflects Simon. “This year, to get that award and be seen, it felt good.” Simon’s win underscores the unique appeal that King Underwear has in making their customers feel empowered, seen, and comfortable in their skin.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave us all time to ponder and explore many things, and Simon spent some time recalling how he used to enjoy browsing underwear aisles as a young gay man. Yet, he also found himself disheartened by the lack of diversity in mainstream brands.

“I saw what they typically posted, who they posted, and the body type they posted,” states Simon. As a muscular Black man, he found that other underwear brands would reshare some of the photos he posted of himself, but there appeared to be a catch. “I felt I was featured after every 100 white guys. They must have figured that’s a safe spot to post a Black guy.”

Those observations were the impetus for King Underwear. At the time, he told himself, “I’m going to start an underwear brand where everyone who wants to can post or send their photos, and I will repost them. They can be seen, and they can feel sexy and feel like a king. Because everyone who wants to be seen should feel seen.”

This commitment to inclusivity resonates in each of King Underwear’s products, which now extend beyond men’s undergarments. Listening to customer feedback is essential to Simon’s approach. “People throw things at me—what I should be doing or where I should go. I take it into consideration because I create the brand for everybody,” he emphasizes.

King Underwear continues to grow its offerings, including swimwear and larger sizing, in response to requests from its LGBTQ and BIPOC fan base. Currently, Simon is testing new designs and plans to launch additional swimwear lines that will expand options for all identities, embodying his mission to represent both the queer and BIPOC communities authentically.

Simon’s openness to feedback also shines in how he engages directly with his supporters. Through Instagram, where followers can reach out to him personally, he welcomes suggestions for improving the brand. “Just message me. I’m pretty good at responding back,” he says. “Also, a lot of people just come up to me when I’m out at the bars.” Because he values community input, Simon maintains a friendly and approachable demeanor when out in public.

Looking to the future, Simon is focused on ensuring King Underwear remains a space where everyone sees aspects of their own selves reflected in the brand’s imagery and identity. He also hopes that this award will amplify the brand’s mission of inclusivity and inspire others to celebrate diversity in their businesses. “If you have a niche and a voice, use it,” he encourages. “It does help, and it affects other people.”

Simon’s brand stands as a beacon of inclusivity in the fashion industry, and his Gayest & Greatest Award marks not just a win for King Underwear, but a milestone for representation in Houston and beyond.

Keep up with King Underwear on Instagram @kingunderwearofficial.