Former's Dane Reynolds and Craig Anderson kicked around by the rotten surf media!
And are you as thrilled as I am for the impending launch of super brand Former? Dane Reynolds, Craig Anderson and Austyn Gillette’s surf/street collection described by Derek Rielly as “neither revolutionary nor radically aggressive but who wants to wear poom-poom shorts and off-the-shoulder tees?”
It almost a wonderful day in surf fashion!
Except there has been some chop in Former’s sea. Some unnecessary wobble. The brand, you see, has been bullied! And bullied by none other than the surf media!
It all started when Former was allegedly being called Destroyer except the boys, as it is rumored, had not actually secured either the trademark nor the URL destroyer.com. The way I heard it told, and this is pure coco wireless so… you know… but the way I heard it told Stab thought they were going to get all BeachGritty by breaking a rumor. They broke the rumor and the man who owned destroyer.com, who was going to sell it for a hundred bucks or something, read the story and jacked his price to ten thousand bucks or something because he saw fame and fortune in his future.
Poor Dane!
Poor Craig!
Stab disappeared the story, as they do because they are chicken, but it was too late and back to the drawing board and then Former… which sings even more, don’t you think?
If that wasn’t bad enough, days ago I was poking around and saw former.xxx was up. Oh, I didn’t see anything other than a Rorschach sunset (sunrise?) but was so excited that I posted a story anyhow. What could the .xxx mean? What is actually coming?
I left it alone, bubbling with anticipation, but BeachGrit commenter Extreme Nonchalance wasn’t as patient as me and found the website was actually live! Hiding in plain sight!
The joy! I spent a few minutes looking at the collection, Derek wrote a review and Adam Jara tried to buy a shirt. But then my phone starting ringing and texts started flying from the brand’s manager. “Take it down! We haven’t launched yet!”
“But the website…” I thought to myself “…It’s live. Hiding in plain sight.” I tried to return the calls to explain that if we took down our cute little post down it would look worse than leaving it up and let’s spin it in a wonderful way etc. but no answer and the clothes were insouciant and excitement palpable and let’s not rob the surf community of joy in these dark days.
Then a text. “Na it’s fine. You guys will probably record our conversation and post it anyways. Well just launch earlier. No biggie.”
The paranoia stung. I would never record a conversation and post it anyways… or wait. But that’s not the point. The point is:
Poor Craig!
Poor Dane!
Now they have to scramble and get live well before they were ready. And ain’t the surf media just an unruly son of a bitch? A lunch stealing lug?
An ugly bastard?
Yes. The surf media is filled with ugly bastards. With unrepentant bullies and I am looking at you Nick Carroll and also at you Matt Warshaw and don’t think you are escaping my gaze Chris Binns. But really, I love that Former is surf/skate owned and run and the chop and the wobble prove this. it is no conglomerate run thing, no folder in Kering’s file, and they will soar on wings of pure gossamer. On winds of belief and passion!
Go get ’em boys and never let the bastards get you down!
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Looks like a catalog for Emo Republic.
There was definitely a situation where Dane could have almost been granted a restraining order against a certain esteemed surf journalist when he was on the tour.
sounds like a good story!
They should go all out and try opening a restaurant next.
This reminds of the South Park episode where Eric Cartman, tired of waiting in long lines and people, decides to open “Cartman Land” with his inheritance.
Can we talk about Matt Warshaw for a minute? I don’t hate the guy, seems totally fine. Really honestly have nothing against him personally. But I definitely don’t want to hear from him every time someone does a new move or something else happens in the surf world and get his hot fucking take on it.
Even the quotes inspire violent disinterest in me…
http://beachgrit.com/search…
Could we find another way to utilize his knowledge? I don’t know how,
but I never want to hear about the history of surfing ever again.
It’s not Matt’s fault that he’s an intelligent, witty (and charming?) man in this soup of idiots. Hopefully he’s getting a pittance for those quotes.
That’s what I mean, can’t we utilize his talents for surfing now, not surfing back then? WSL commentator? Head Judge?
”Violent Disinterest”, that’s a better brand name than ”former”.
My god did you sprain your wrist on the reach around?? I wouldn’t want to talk to you guys on record either
Its not my style but I do like the way they have actually produced stuff people can actually wear without it looking like the normal surf garbage. I hope Chas pushed for a line of tiny nut skimming beachgrit shorts to be shoe horned in there somewhere.
God, i love beach grit.
I think it was the moment you mentioned they have a “brand manager” I decided Former will be shit.
But he’s a pro-ish surfer too!
It indicates that the blokes that make the brand desirable eg Dane, Craig and Austyn won’t be working that hard on it.
Thank fuck for that. Stick to what you guys know, shralping!
who isn’t?
Imagine how well it would go if it was just Dane and Craig in an office taking calls and selling it.
Ok but please explain why these clothes are interesting in any way. So basic!
No glitter. epic fail.