Signac was a keen sailor, arriving in Saint-Tropez on his boat Olympia. “It made total sense to have a swimwear line for a man who was as sporty as he was, because he loved sailing as much as he loved painting,” Cachin said.

Roland Herlory, chief executive officer of Vilebrequin, said the brand’s printers in Como, Italy, took great pains to match the colors used by Signac, whose technique consists of breaking down single hues into multicolored dots. The print runs along the front and back of the trunks, which are meticulously matched to ensure continuity, while tonal stitching further contributes to the seamless effect.

“When you work with a painter, an artist, you have such a responsibility toward the work that you always push your know-how and your standards a step further,” Herlory said. “You see in the eyes of the printers the excitement of the challenge.”