California Apparel News

Surf’s swim goes fashion-forward

Fashion has taken notice of surf/skate style for years. Chanel, the arguable pinnacle of fashion, once sent a heavily logoed surfboard down the runway; Marc Jacobs and other designers have made cocktail dresses and miniskirts out of that wet suit staple, neoprene; and fashion magazines endlessly tutor readers on how to achieve messy, beachy surfer-girl hair. Proenza Schouler, the New York–based favorite of “it” girls, marched a lineup of models in surfer-chic styles for its Spring 2010 presentation, and Vogue magazine dedicated an entire photo shoot to the bold, minimal aesthetic of surf’s hardgoods. Skater girls, with their tomboy edge, are also having a fashion moment, as the return of the ’90s grunge trend proves it has legs.

It was only a matter of time before action-sports brands returned the favor. Except, contrary to what might be expected, the iconic beach bunny isn’t the muse behind the brands’ bikinis. The swimwear being produced by surf, skate and even motocross brands is nothing if not fashion-minded.

Case in point: Hurley’s “little black bikini,” which was designed by Bar Rafaeli, the high-fashion model who has been the brand’s face since 2008. The suit, barely there and certainly not appropriate for surfing, earned Hurley plenty of cachet among fashion editors and specialty retailers alike. Supported by its own marketing campaign; Web page; behind-the-scenes videos; press clippings; and a “buy it now” button that lists retailers as far-flung as Norway, Australia, Panama and Israel, the “LBB” proved that action-sports brands can woo fashion lovers with their swimwear.

Billabong launched a capsule of fashion-forward swimwear, Billabong Runway, in 2009 after the success of its runway shows during its annual Design for Humanity fund-raiser events. The runway looks, which were supposed to be pure fashion fun, proved to be popular with buyers and shoppers. “We had so many requests for the suits we showed on the runway, which we often collaborate on with celebrities, that we took suits off the runway and launched a collection,” said Mandy Fry, Billabong’s design director. Billabong Runway features a higher price point, innovative fabrications and a slightly skimpier fit than Billabong’s core swim collection. “These are very much poolside suits,” Fry said.

For some, the right approach is a combination of core and fashion. Tavik, a men’s action-sports brand with roots in surf and skate, took its first step into the women’s market with the launch of its Tavik Swimwear label for Spring 2010. The collection, which features contemporary styles dosed with a sexy, street edge, is inspired by the Southern California lifestyle, said designer Nicole Hanriot. A veteran of contemporary brands such as Primp, Hanriot said fashion drives the design, but surf culture is still part of the mix. The result is contemporary retailers such as Revolve, ’80s Purple and Free People are stocking the brand alongside more-high-end collections. “It’s a balancing act. There’s an emphasis on fashion,” she said, but the whiff of skate edge gives the brand street credibility contemporary brands can’t get.

Sylvia Niles, Vans’ category director of girls’ apparel and accessories, agreed. Designed in-house by a designer with a fashion background and a love for action sports, Vans’ swimwear ranges from cheeky and “sort of girly” to functional for surfing and swimming, Niles said. “It’s the mix of the two—of fashion and the DNA of our brand—that makes the swimwear successful.”

To ensure that some suits are still surfer girl–friendly, Vans staffers test-run select suits on the waves and report back. “We’ll change a suit so that girls can absolutely surf in them. We’re a core brand, and that remains a top priority,” Niles said.

For some brands, upping the fashion quotient of their entire collection, not just swimwear, is a major push. Roxy, the juniors beach lifestyle brand owned by Quiksilver, made big news last fall when it pulled off the biggest fashion coup since RVCA scored Erin Wasson for a capsule collection. High-end designer Cynthia Rowley signed on to design Cynthia Rowley for Roxy, a collection of seriously fashion-minded wet suits, skimpy T-shirt dresses, neoprene pencil skirts and super-slouchy hoodies.

Randy Hild, Roxy’s ex-ecutive vice president of marketing, said the collaboration with Rowley marks Roxy’s first foray into an upscale distribution channel and is indicative of the brand’s future direction, certainly in styling if not in price point. “Roxy is becoming a little more fashion-forward. Having our product in Barneys helps us introduce a new customer to the Roxy brand,” he said.

“Swimwear is a very important part of Roxy’s business,” said Anne Kelly, Roxy’s national sales manager. Going forward, its swimwear will be more collection-driven and fashion-focused. Fits, she said, will remain the same, but styling will be updated with new fabrications and added touches such as sequins and hardware.

“We’re aging up a bit. The demographic itself is fast-moving and fast-changing, and we’re keeping pace with them,” said Iris Yen, Roxy’s director of communications and public relations.