by The Editors on July 25, 2008
If you were basking in the sun at Huntington Beach yesterday (like much of the surf industry) and missed the Volcom conference call, here it is transcribed in it’s entirety. Here’s how Wooly kicked it off:
We are no more than half way through the year and I feel good about the progress that we have made managing our business in the U.S. running our new European operation and integrating Electric. The power of Volcom brand continues to capture the attention of consumers around the world and we are excited about the global opportunities that lay ahead.
His comments about electric:
Last quarter we added the full product line from electric, which includes sunglass, goggles, soft goods and accessories. During this period we launched three new sunglass styles, the Technician XL in May and the Detroit and Hoodlum the last week of June. So far the initial sell-through on all three styles has been very positive and we look forward to continuing to build on this excitement.
The Laguna Surf & Sport story:
The multi branded concept of the LS&S stores is a little different for us, but we believe it helps diversify our retail business by providing us with greater insight about our customers and market trends. It also brings an experience team to the company adding strength to our overall retail infrastructure. We plan to keep these stores operating under the LS&S name with the same employees, management and general product and brand mix.
For the rest of the call (including analyst questions) click the link.
[Link: Seeking Alpha and Reuters]
by The Editors on July 24, 2008
DC Shoes has rented out all 12 floors of The Standard Hotel in downtown LA July 31st-August 3 for the X Games.
Conceived by DC, The Gold Standard 2008 is a hosted hotel takeover during the 2008 X Games, developed as a tribute to DC’s X Games athletes over the past 14 years. Here, DC and Monster Energy along with presenting sponsors FUEL TV and Complex Magazine will occupy all 12 floors of the swanky hotel in the heart of LA.
Sounds like X Games party central to us. Guess that’s what you can do when you’re not spending all that money on X Games event sponsorship.
[Link: EXPN]
by The Editors on July 23, 2008
Tomorrow, July 24, 2008 at 1:30 PST Volcom will host a conference call to discuss their financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2008.
The conference call will be available to interested parties through a live audio Internet broadcast at www.volcom.com. Volcom intends to utilize this webcast event to discuss financially-oriented goals and objectives and to disclose material company and industry-based topics in an open manner. The company does not plan to report or comment on its progress during the current fiscal quarter.
For those who are not available to listen to the live broadcast, the call will be archived for one year on the Volcom website. A telephone playback of the conference call will also be available until 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, July 31, 2008. Listeners should call (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706) 645-9291 (international) and use reservation: 55485369.
[Link: BusinessWire]
by The Editors on July 22, 2008
Perry Ellis International has just announced signing a licensing agreement with leading European clothing giant TV Mania GMBH and Must International Trading, PTE, Ltd., to resurrect the Gotcha brand in Europe.
George Feldenkreis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Perry Ellis International, said: “We are very excited about this agreement with TV Mania and Must International Trading. Their knowledge of both the European market and the surf lifestyle make them the ideal partner to re-launch Gotcha in Europe. We look forward to an outstanding partnership.”
Hard to believe anyone is interested is putting more money into this brand (no offense, Michael).
[Link: MarketWatch]
by The Editors on July 21, 2008
Any wonder why core retailers are getting a little more worried everyday with the “vertical integration” sweeping the industry? Here’s more fuel for the fire. Volcom has just “agreed to acquire the retail operations of Laguna Surf & Sport“ including its two locations in Laguna Beach and Aliso Viejo.”
Laguna Surf & Sport has been a landmark on the Southern California surf and skate scene for many years and this acquisition further demonstrates our dedication to core retail and its importance to Volcom,” said Richard Woolcott, chairman and chief executive officer of Volcom. “It’s great to now be more strongly aligned with one of our longest standing accounts and we look forward to working together even more closely in the years to come.”
Great for Volcom (the stock is up 64 cents on the news), bad for competing Ma and Pa retailers.
[Link: BusinessWire]
by The Editors on July 20, 2008
The Independent’s Josh Sims checks in with Van’s BBQ man Steve Van Doren for the background on “how Vans became a global shoe brand.
What began as a mom-and-pop operation – Paul Van Doren worked for a shoe firm for 20 years before launching his own brand, which he sold to just 50 local stores – has become a $870m (£435m) company. But Steve Van Doren stresses that its MO has not changed since it was founded in 1966, and soon became the shoe of choice for skateboard pioneers. Granted, there was the time it tried to become the shoe of choice for wrestlers, skydivers and break-dancers, and almost went bankrupt. “So now we stick with just being a cool, native southern Californian youth-culture brand. California is the home of action sports and if we were as big around the globe as we are there, we’d be the biggest shoe brand in the world,” says Van Doren, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, denims and, of course, the family firm’s product.
It’s the same story we’ve heard over and over again, but we never get tired of hearing it. And anyone whose seen our closet would know exactly why we feel this way.
[Link: The Independent, photo: New York Times]
by The Editors on July 20, 2008
She’s always been our idea of what a model surfer should be: strong, tough, smart, and a rockin’ surfer. Now, it looks like the LA Times has discovered that there is more to Erica Hosseini “than meets the eye.”
As a player on the surfing scene, Hosseini has become part of the $7.5-billion surfing apparel industry — dominated by brands such as Quiksilver, Roxy, Hurley and O’Neill — which sells the lifestyle and vibe surrounding surfing just as aggressively as the sport itself. The appeal is based in no small part on women like Hosseini, who represent the fun, breezy and stylish aspects of the wave-riding lifestyle. . . “I love modeling,” Hosseini says. “My sponsors have been able to advertise me in not just a surf-action kind of way but also in a more all-around way,” she says, “and I’ve benefited from that. I’m super grateful.”
Yeah, behind hot always helps, doesn’t it?
[Link: LA Times]
by The Editors on July 18, 2008
Taking a bigger step into high fashion Hurley International has signed up “Leonardo DiCaprio’s main squeeze” Bar Refaeli for a new campaign.
She will appear for the brand’s spring 2009 runway show as part of Los Angeles Fashion Week in October. Refaeli, 23, might even lend a hand in designing some of Hurley’s collections. “Anyone can hire a model,” said Lyndsey Roach, Hurley’s vice president of marketing for the young contemporary division. “We wanted to do something different. She lives this lifestyle.”
Yep, we’re thinking Refaeli’s assets ought to move some units for the H.
[Link: Women’s Wear Daily]
by The Editors on July 18, 2008
Forbes Magazine just did a story on supermodels who were also business moguls and in there with the Klums, Banks, and Mosses was Erin Wasson who has “signed a lucrative deal with skating and surfing apparel company RVCA for an eponymous line of beach-inspired women’s apparel to be sold in stores in 2009.”
[Link: Forbes.com]
by The Editors on July 18, 2008
