California Apparel News

Star Billabong International designer Mandy Fry has jumped ship and joined rival action-sports brand Volcom, it was announced May 16.

She becomes Volcom’s vice president of women’s, a new position in the company, which is hoping to strengthen that division.

Fry will supervise women’s merchandising and design teams, said Jason Steris, chief executive officer of the Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Volcom. “Mandy’s creative vision and business insight is just what we need to take Volcom women’s to the next level,” he noted.

During Fry’s 12-year career at Billabong’s office in Irvine, Calif., the company’s swimwear and juniorswear divisions received a lot of attention.

Billabong’s bikinis were featured in the 2012 and 2013 swimwear issues of Sports Illustrated. And Billabong was honored with the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association’s Image Award for “Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year” in 2010 and 2011.

Fry’s job announcement comes at a time of heavy turmoil for the Australian-headquartered Billabong. For more than a year, the surfwear giant has been negotiating with several different suitors who want to buy the company.

Billabong has lost other executives, too. Steve Lake, founder of Billabong’s skate company, Sector 9, recently resigned, media reports said.

However, one Billabong executive said the departures are overblown. “It is not as bad as everyone is making it out to be,” said a Billabong sales chief, who did not give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the press. “Mandy had a great opportunity, and Steve’s contract was up and he wanted to spend more time with his family. It has nothing to do with the brands,” the sales chief said.