California Apparel News

ORLANDO, Fla.—The mood was mild Sept. 12–14 at the 27th edition of Surf Expo in Orlando, Fla.—especially compared with the previous week’s busy Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo in San Diego. But buyers in Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center nevertheless appeared confident coming off a strong Backto- School season.

According to reps, many East Coast retailers were hampered by fickle weather this year and left in challenging positions with the worldwide drop-off in resort traffic. Still, many had a stronger outlook heading into the holiday season and were hopeful for continued improvement.

“Everybody had a soft first quarter,” noted Greg Osthus, vice president of sales for Ezekiel Clothing in Irvine, Calif. “Things got better in July, and now attitudes are brighter as we turn the corner.”

Retailers agreed.

“The rain in Florida has affected us and a lot of others,” said Robert Gleim of Bamboo Willie’s in Pensacola, Fla. “But the improving business [in the second half] is helping.

We should be up for the year.”

Surf Expo appeared to have something for everyone. Gleim sought T-shirts, while Melissa Buckland of Chessie Marine Sales in Elkton, Md., checked out wakeboards, hoping to compensate for the drop-off in the traditional water-skiing goods she typically sells.

Companies such as Tommy Bahama were busy with appointments but weren’t adding too many new accounts, said Florida representative Chris Corell. “We’ve been doing great with our new ladies’ denim and accessories like watches,” he said.

Likewise, Monica McNeel, sales manager and owner of Costa Mesa, Calif.–based swimwear maker L*Space, reported 65 pre-booked appointments but didn’t reap too many new accounts. She did gain attention, however, with hipster bikinis in retro polka-dot patterns.

In the core surf category, retailers didn’t have to look far to find an abundance of trucker caps, woven shirts and low-cut swimwear. Retro themes were everywhere, and retailers looked beyond traditional surfwear resources to stock their shelves. California resources offered solutions for many.

Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Paul Frank Industries Inc., for example, highlighted printed boardshorts featuring its Julius character, as well as new printed-canvas sneakers it had created in a venture with Pro Keds Inc.

“Retailers are looking for seamless brands hellip; that aren’t locked only into surf or skate—that’s the beauty of it,” said Paul Frank’s Brian Bailey.

Los Angeles–based Dickies Girl is seeing similar trends. “One of our Jacksonville surfwear accounts put our ’Nurse Betty’ dress in their window and sold everything in one day,” said Anthony Barcelo, the company’s Florida representative.

Crossover looks are also going strong for Torrance, Calif.–based AlpineStars, which has been bringing its motocross-inspired fashions into the surf market. “We’ve been averaging sell-throughs of 12 percent per week and up to 50 to 70 percent for some stores,” said Arika Helton.

“Girls are supporting their boyfriends on the [racing] track, and that’s how they get to know the brand,” she said.

What also helps is bringing endorsers— such as top Hawaiian surfer Sunny Garcia—on board to promote the brand and offering fashions with detailing such as netting and rivets.

Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Split also gained ground with its women’s line, which included contemporary looks that countered the abundance of girly surf shorts on the market. The company showed cargo shorts and wavy tops for women, as well as vintage cotton and woven button-up shirts for men.

Quiksilver Edition, the Huntington Beach, Calif.–based surfwear company’s 3-year-old spinoff aimed at the over-25 male consumer, showed solid embroidered shirts and silk pigment-dyed shirts with subtle designs.

The company logged $12 million in sales this year, up from $9 million last year, said Quiksilver’s John Bathurst.

Ezekiel, which recently lost all three of its company founders because of an internal dispute, has revamped with Jim Shubin, formerly of Dwindle Distribution in El Segundo, Calif., at the helm.

“The good thing is we didn’t lose any of our managers or our designer,” said Shubin. “We’re looking at adding some more high-image surfers and skaters to add some pizzazz.”

Meanwhile, the company showed Western, vintage solid and long-sleeved lounge shirts.

Irvine, Calif.–based Lost Enterprises had one of the busiest booths. The company attracted crowds with airbrush body painting and a surfboard display.

“We’re the talk of the show,” said Lost Enterprises’ Chris Barnum. “Women’s [apparel] is really taking off with sexy-cut skirts, denim and T-shirts with ’Lost’ prints.”

Traditional surf brands made inroads by incorporating the latest in technology into their apparel offerings. Rash guards, the wet suit–like shirts that surfers use to prevent rashes during warm-water surf sessions, turned up as fashion items at the show. Companies such as O’Neill and AlpineStars—and even swimwear brands—featured the tight-fitting tops in polyester/nylon fabric. Aside from fashion appeal, the tops offer ultraviolet protection and are quickdrying. AlpineStars’ styles feature DuPont’s stain-resistant Repel fabric.

Also gaining momentum were boardshorts with neoprene panels. Companies used the panels to liven up the bells-and-whistles department, as well as to improve the function of their shorts. O’Neill augmented its Superfreak series with horizontal neoprene panels to allow surfers more flexibility when jumping up on their boards. “They also have a nice drape,” said O’Neill’s Tom Brady.

O’Neill and Quiksilver also showcased welded-construction boardshorts, which are built without traditional sewn-in seams to give users more comfort.

Show producer DMG staged daily fashion shows to promote its new Action Girl section. DMG said the show, which will debut next January, will feature 200 exhibitors of young women’s sportswear.

Dan Darby, Surf Expo’s marketing director, reported a 25 percent boost in preregistration traffic. Total attendance was not available at press time, but Darby estimated that traffic would reach 15,000, beating last year’s numbers.