Warriors of Radness Takes Surf Upmarket

Rick Klotz, the designer behind the Fresh Jive veteran streetwear brand and the now-shuttered Gonz! surf brand, thinks the last thing the core beach/surf market needs is another surf brand.

To that end, in 2008, when he launched Warriors of Radness, a line inspired by the bright and edgy beach/surf styles of his youth, he skipped core stores almost entirely and targeted upscale specialty retailers. “I have no interest in selling to commercial surf stores,” Klotz said. Not one to mince words, he added, “I don’t like what the commercial surf market has to offer—not the culture, not the clothing. And the [lower] price point is very prohibitive for the kind of quality and fabrications I want to use.”

A Los Angeles native and lifelong surfer, Klotz wanted to reflect the non-politically correct, scrappybeaches he grew up on. “I wanted Warriors to feel like a true L.A., West Coast beach/surf-culture brand. It’s a progressive line that isn’t right for the [core] surf market.”

Packed with casual pieces and surf staples—T-shirts, fleece, boardshorts—Warriors of Radness offers its own spin on even the most basic of pieces. Slim striped T-shirts and hoodies are made from screen-printed cotton that is sewn with the print inside, so only faint stripes are visible when the garments are worn. Boardshorts are available in two styles, short and shorter. Acid-wash denim cutoffs and acid-wash jeans in slim straight styles are a far cry from the skinny black jeans of core surf/skate brands. A seemingly sedate pair of dark-wash jeans features hot-pink interior stitching. Buffalo-plaid shirts are produced in neon pink and blue, and artist collaborations result in cool screen-printed T-shirts that are more Gonzo than Slater.

Klotz, who designs and produces the bulk of Warriors of Radness in Los Angeles, views the brand as a boutique line with a vintage Los Angeles beach vibe rather than as a crossover surf line that sells in boutiques.“In a sense, because of the fabrications and the styling, we fall between being a core beach line and a fashion line,” he said. “Our look and price point put us out of reach for surf shops but easily accessible for boutiques. That’s our focus. You can tell by looking at it that it doesn’t come from Orange County or San Diego.”

Paul Conrad, whose Medium showroom specializes in selling true contemporary lines such as Orthodox and Native Son to specialty retailers in the United States and Japan, sells Warriors to upscale accounts all over the world.

Sold at retailers such as Oak, Opening Ceremony and American Rag stateside and Beams, Isetan, Loveless and Harvey Nichols abroad, Warriors of Radness is often the opening price point for high-end boutiques.

“With the economy as it is, our lower price point is ideal for a lot of these stores. They love the look—the Japanese market especially is very attracted to brands with an American flavor—but they really love the price point,” Conrad said. T-shirts for the line start at $14, fleece pullovers start at $30, boardshorts start at $36 and denim tops out at $55 wholesale. The most expensive piece in the Spring/Summer line is a neon color-block nylon jacket for $56 wholesale.

Producing the bulk of its offerings in Los Angeles gives Klotz the flexibility to produce the small amounts retailers are asking for now and quickly fill orders. Being a small brand with an upscale distribution is creating new opportunities for Warriors of Radness. The brand is gearing up for a shoe collaboration with cult-favorite brand Gourmet, which will yield simple sneakers in pin-striped and acid-wash canvas for Summer 2010. Another project, with Jeannine Braden of Fred Segal Flair, will yield a women’s Warriors of Radness line, with a capsule collection debuting as soon as Spring 2010. The line is tentatively set to retail at Fred Segal Flair, Klotz’s Reserve store in Los Angeles and a handful of select stores. Apparently, fans of Warriors of Radness are reporting that their girlfriends have sticky fingers when it comes to their neon T-shirts and ’80s-perfect sweatshirts.

And just when you think Klotz might be all business, he surprises.

The Gay and Lesbian Surf Association, which he started with friends as a joke and as a jab at the insular nature of surfers, is about to become a reality. “My gay friends thought it was a great idea, and people really like the idea,” Klotz said. He’s in the midst of building a Web site and gathering members. In the meantime, the GLSA’s motto is all set: “Come on out hellip; the water’s fine!” Indeed.