by The Editors on January 4, 2011
Stance’s Ryan Kingman gets interviewed on TransWorld Business and he takes the opportunity to explain how they got their feet in the door.
Stance saw an opportunity to address a category that has been neglected and overlooked by most brands over the years and bring it to the surface, show it off, champion it. Whenever there’s a product being manufactured in a space with an excited and loyal consumer base there’s an opportunity to develop the category and make it shine. As it turns out there are a lot more sock enthusiasts and aficionados than we had hoped for.
Yep. Some people are just into feet. . .
[Link: Transworld Business]
by The Editors on January 4, 2011
686’s new HUF x New Balance ménage à collab snowboard boot and and sneaker will be sliding out in limited quantities beginning January 8, 2010.
The triple partnership brings forth a focus on clean design, with dark blue and white tones accented with pink and green hits and embellishments. The HUF for New Balance 205 sneaker is made of a micro suede and highly breathable mesh upper. The perforated suede New Balance logo makes a polished statement with coordinating NB 205 and HUF logo hits on the tongue. The terry cloth lining gives exceptional cushioning properties and has a contrasting micro suede heel cap.
A party to celebrate the release will be held at HUF LA on Saturday, January 8, 2011. HUF LA is located at 410 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles For more photos and all the details, follow the jump.
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by The Editors on January 3, 2011
by The Editors on December 28, 2010
No, no. It’s not what you’re thinking. We’re just trying to check the time with our new Nixon Highball Pocket Watch. Seriously, it’s in here somewhere. . .
[Link: Nixon Happenings]
by The Editors on December 22, 2010
Spy Optic parent Orange 21 announced that it is getting out of the manufacturing business almost entirely—something it had formerly touted as one of its advantages.
According to an announcement today Orange 21 is selling 90% of its Italy-based manufacturing facility LEM to the eyewear companies senior management.
A. Stone Douglass, Orange 21 Inc.’s CEO, commented, “We believe this is an opportunity for us to refocus our primary efforts on our sales and distribution of our multiple brands, Spy Optic, O’Neil, Margaritaville and Melodies by MJB through our remaining wholly-owned subsidiaries, Orange 21 North America Inc. and Orange 21 Europe S.r.l.”
Follow the jump for the entire release.
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by The Editors on December 20, 2010
686, with a little help from Malakye.com and SIA Snow Show, have created a a design contest that could allow three up-and-coming outerwear designers the perfect platform they need to launch a career in the burgeoning snowboard outerwear industry (or something like that). It’s called The Reclaim Design Project and it goes something like this:
This contest will give three designers the opportunity to make an original outerwear garment from reclaimed materials, trims, and left over items from the 686 production facility. The contest will begin the opening morning of the SIA Snow Show, Thursday, January 27 but first, we have to find THREE qualified designers who can come show their stuff on the show floor.
Follow the jump for all the info on how to become one of three designers who will get the chance to sew a jacket in real time on the floor of the SIA Show. It will be just like Project Runway. . . kinda.
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by The Editors on December 20, 2010
Former Billabong CEO’s Matthew Perrin’s financial travails are becoming more and more difficult to follow as of late. Commonwealth Bank says that Perrin’s wife secured $13.5 million in loans with her Gold Coast home and now that Perrin is bankrupt they want it. But Nicole has another story, according to News.com.au.
In her defence filed at the time, Mrs Perrin countered that her signature had been forged on mortgage documents. . . In the latest documents filed to the court, Mrs Perrin now alleges her husband forged her signature and was responsible for fabricating a fake power of attorney.
You can’t blame her for trying.
[Link: News.com.au]
by The Editors on December 17, 2010
We’ve seen several seemingly conflicting headlines regarding the Q4 numbers that Quiksilver reported yesterday (December 16, 2010). Bloomberg pretty much called it out like this:
The company, based in Huntington Beach, Calif., said it reduced its debt significantly during the fourth quarter, in part by swapping some of its debt for equity, and that should help it seize growth opportunities in coming years. . . It foresees a 5 percent drop in its first-quarter revenue. . . Quicksilver posted a loss of $22.1 million, or 14 cents per share, for the quarter that ended Oct. 31. That’s compared with a loss of $1.8 million, or a penny per share, a year earlier. . . Its fourth-quarter revenue fell 8 percent to $495.1 million from $538.7 million. . . For the year, Quiksilver reported a net loss of $9.7 million, down from $192 million in fiscal 2009. Its revenue was $1.84 billion, compared with $1.98 billion in fiscal 2009.
Aside from the net loss improvement it doesn’t sound like the greatest news, however, CEO Bob McKnight seemed pretty upbeat about the performance.
I’m very pleased to report exceptional fourth quarter and full fiscal year results,” he said in his opening remarks. “This performance resulted from many factors, but most important is our innovation, execution, developing and delivering great products. Our creative and impactful marketing efforts; we’re taking good care of our customers; and from the efforts of our teams of employees and reps, these talented people who have worked really hard this year; and from a focused business discipline that we’ve made standard practice throughout the year.
The market seems to agree with McKnight’s rather rosy view. This morning Quiksilver was trading up nearly 5 percent to $5.25.
For the entire transcript of the call, click here.
[Link: Bloomberg and The Street]
by The Editors on December 15, 2010
Billabong has announced that profits in the quarter ending December 31, 2010 will be 8 – 13 percent down over last year according to a story on SmartCompany.com.au.
The company now expects net profit for the full financial year will be flat, after earlier predicting profit would increase 2-8%. . . Billabong shares have fallen 9% in initial trade to $8.09, as investors reacted angrily to the shock downgrade. . . Finally, the company said it has had problems getting Billabong brands into the host of retail outlets it has purchased in the last few months, including the Surf Dive ‘n’ Ski and Jetty Surf chains, the Rush Surf chain in Queensland and the West 49 chain in Canada. . . It appears Billabong is having troubling selling out the stock in these stores, which it needs to do before it can start fitting out these stores with goods from the Billabong family of brands.
Seems like retail is always the weak link in the surf fashion business. (Click here for the entire call transcript)
[Link: SmartCompany.com.au and The Australian]
by The Editors on December 13, 2010
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of the Homeland Security Investigations raided three Abilene, Texas retailers last Thursday (December 9, 2010) and rounded up more than $100,000 in counterfeit DC Shoes, Fox Racing, Famous, and other branded merchandise.
The targeted stores have been previously identified as openly selling counterfeit clothing through the store fronts. ICE HSI agents had conducted surveillance and made undercover purchases at all three locations. Items purchased through the undercover operations were determined to be counterfeit by industry representatives. . . Some of the counterfeit items seized include: t-shirts, polo shirts, jeans, purses, hats, jackets and sweatshirts.
Nice of Homeland Security to watch out for corporate America like that because American corporations are America (or something like that.) Follow the jump for the official release. [click to continue…]
Stance’s Ryan Kingman gets interviewed on TransWorld Business and he takes the opportunity to explain how they got their feet in the door.
