Gimme: Fabulous Bielmann t-shirts!

Brian and Brent Bielmann make their debut at the GAP!

If you have ever visited BeachGrit, even once, you will know how fond we are the of the Bielmanns. Brian and his nephew Brent are masters of the surf photography game. Living treasures.

I interviewed Brian, once. Here’s a snippet:

“I first started shooting water at Pipeline,” he says. “I remember moving out there in 1978. I surfed that Spring and thought, ‘ok next season I am going to be on every single swell!’ I was doing photography at the same time but I’d always say, ‘I’m gonna surf for an hour and then shoot. I’d never come in.’ And so winter came around and I paddled out on a bigger day at Rocky Point. I got pitched over and hit my head on the reef…basically almost died…and so I was sitting in the hospital with all these tubes coming out of me and that was it. It was gonna be photography.”

We are all better off for him hitting his head and almost dying and now you can own a piece of his archive! The Gap is doing a six shirt capsule featuring the Bielmann’s art that launches tomorrow May 23!

“The Bielmanns capture the spirit of surfing like no other photographer,” says John Caruso, vice president of men’s design at Gap. “Whether it’s the rush of catching the perfect wave or the peacefulness of being at one with the water, their images spark the kind of summer memories that we’re thrilled to celebrate in Gap’s collection of exclusive Ts.”

Brian says, “The best part is seeing my photos viewed by a much larger audience and I think a T-shirt is a great way to make a statement. Our surfing world is so small, comparatively, and there are a lot of people who don’t surf but still find the ocean fascinating, and that’s who I want to connect with.”

I say, “Gimme.” And also, “Thank you Gap for recognizing real, core talent and thank you for leaving Aaron Chang on the sideline.