At this point in the private equity take over of the surf trunk industry it’s nice to see anyone trying something new. Roark has taken the side seam on their 19 inch trunks and angled it forward 33 degrees. They say it offers “reduced friction & seam obstruction.”
As anyone who’s spent a week or two near the equator living in never-quite-dry trunks can tell you, reduced friction could be huge. We haven’t tried these yet, but we’re stoked to see a sellable feature that just might work.
We talked about this a while ago (November 1, 2017 to be exact), but it appears that the day of Kering’s off-loading of Volcom has officially arrived, according to a story on SGB Media.
“In accordance with Kering’s strategy to fully dedicate itself to the development of its luxury houses, Volcom no longer constitutes a core asset and Kering has initiated a disposal process,” the group said in a statement.
Disposal process? Wow. Kering bought Volcom in 2011 for $608 million will Wooly buy it back for $200 million? Could this happen, (please)? We’ll all just have to wait and see.
Billabong is continuing their artistic relationship with Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat to celebrate death, apparently, with the third iteration of their Andy Warhol x Jean-Michel Basquiat x Billabong Lab collection. Dead artists are the easiest to work with, obviously.
Ever launch a brand that functionally went out of business years ago? Not to worry. Brand licensing wizards will resurrect your brand over and over and over again to keep those checks rolling in. The most recent example of brand reanimation is this — Airwalk for Aéropostale.
Airwalk for Aéropostale launches online and in stores on April 8th. The exclusive Men’s capsule will launch with an 8-piece apparel collection with key styles including color block and printed board shorts as well as graphic tees, just in time for Spring Break! The exclusive collection will range from $25 to $45.
Dive in kids. We’re not really sure what Aérosostale is, but it’s the 90s all over again and it’s on sale today.
It’s official, last night (March 27, 2018) 95.45 percent of Billabong’s shareholders voted to sell the company to Boardriders (the parent company of Quiksilver, DC Shoes, et. al.) for $1.05 a share according to a story in the Daily Telegraph.
The successful offer represented a 35 per cent premium on Billabong’s closing price the day before Boardrider’s proposal was first announced in January. . . Boardriders chief executive Dave Tanner said the deal offered the best value for shareholders, employees, vendors and customers. . . “We are pleased to see that the Billabong shareholders recognised this value, and have approved the proposed acquisition,” Mr Tanner said. . . “We have now cleared a significant milestone, and we are one step closer to creating the world’s leading action sports company.”
So finally Billabong and Quiksilver are nestled together in the loving arms of Oak Tree Capital. What does this mean? Not a whole lot to anyone not financially involved in the deal.
Pierre Agnes, 54, the CEO of Boardriders Inc, the parent company of Quiksilver and Billabong reportedly went missing at sea near Biarritz, France, on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, according to an Associated Press story in the LA Times. Boats and helicopters joined the search immediately.
According to Agence France-Press, Agnes went out in his boat early Tuesday and later told authorities that because of fog, he would return later than he’d initially planned. . . The port authority of the Atlantic beach town of Capbreton said the search was launched after Agnes’ empty boat was found washed up Tuesday in nearby Hossegor. In a statement, Boardriders said that 54-year-old Agnes had gone fishing on his “beloved” boat, as he often did in the mornings, and that he had not been heard from since.The port authority of the Atlantic beach town of Capbreton said the search was launched after Agnes’ empty boat was found washed up Tuesday in nearby Hossegor. In a statement, Boardriders said that 54-year-old Agnes had gone fishing on his “beloved” boat, as he often did in the mornings, and that he had not been heard from since.
Our thoughts are with the Agnes family and we continue to hope for the best.
[Update February 1, 2018: The search for Pierre Agnes has been called off (Wednesday, January 31, 2018) the day after his boat was found washed up on a beach, according to as story in the LA Times. “Maritime authorities had struggled with waves of up to 8 feet and poor visibility Tuesday. They called off the search on Wednesday afternoon after canvassing the area with two boats, a jet ski and three helicopters, saying there was little chance of Agnes being found alive. . . Water temperatures were in the low to mid-50s, and that stretch of coastline is known for its fast, big and heavy barrel waves, making it a popular spot for surfers. At this time of winter there are also perilous riptides and shifting sandbanks.”]
Vans today announced the return of their 2018 Vans Hi-Standard Series, annual international snowboard event. And you can go.
Kicking off a sprawling world tour in Ontario, the tour will visit Canada, China, South Korea, Finland, and the US, bringing this all-ages snow series around the world to invite riders to showcase creative expression in a fun open-jam format. Featuring a big air session where participants are judged solely on their individual style with no inverts or spins over 720 allowed, regional MVPs will win an all-expenses paid trip to the grand finale show at Sierra-at-Tahoe for a chance to snowboard with the Vans snow team and battle it out for the 2018 Vans Hi-Standard Series MVP series title.
For the official word from Vans including tour dates and resorts, please follow the jump.
Just a little reminder that while we in the Northern Hemisphere may be freezing our wee bits off, in the Southern Hemisphere it’s summer. . . or something like that.
Vans is celebration the holidays by spotlighting the AVE Rapidweld Pro Lite. The look good, don’t they?
The AV Rapidweld Pro Lite offers an advanced stitchless upper construction, providing a more durable and flexible panel that eliminates seam bursts and prolongs the life of the shoe overall. The AV Rapidweld Pro Lite achieves long lasting durability while still reducing the weight of the shoe. Utilizing Vans’ polyurethane-based Ultracush HD sockliner to keep the foot close to the board, the construction won’t pack out over time—providing the highest level of impact cushioning for which Vans is known. To complete the ultralight masterpiece, the AV Rapidweld Pro Lite employs Vans’ Duracap reinforced uppers, and Vans’ iconic original Waffle outsole.
The AVE Rapidweld Pro Lite comes in two brand new holiday colors and if you order them today, you can get them in time for Christmas.
We talked about 
It’s official, last night (March 27, 2018) 95.45 percent of Billabong’s shareholders voted to sell the company to Boardriders (the parent company of Quiksilver, DC Shoes, et. al.) for $1.05 a share according to a story in the 
Pierre Agnes, 54, the CEO of Boardriders Inc, the parent company of Quiksilver and Billabong reportedly went missing at sea near Biarritz, France, on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, according to an Associated Press story in the 
