Grandpas against establishment.
It was not that long ago, twenty-five years or such, when the surfing lifestyle, its shoes, shirts, shorts etc., were made for and by the cool kids. Labels like Quiksilver, Billabong, Gotcha and Volcom draping the young and restless in must-have garb. The surf industry was born in an explosion of rad though, twenty-five or such years later, has lost its way. The brands became publicly traded, falling on hard times and trends moved on, then purchased by private equity firms before being lumped into one mega-brand and sold to Authentic Brands Group, a New York-based licensing juggernaut that is anything but authentic.
The beancounters and pencil pushers there, though, must have finally realized that teenagers aren’t the actual market for surf-branded shoes, shirts, shorts, etc. No, it is almost exclusively made up of elderly men.
And, thus, Billabong is leaning right in, kicking the kids to the curb and dropping a whole range featuring 80s-90s era graphics plus a video featuring 80s-90s era surfer Mark Occhilupo.
The short piece follows the 1999 World Champion to Bells and then to Cloudbreak. Elderly men, watching on outdated devices, certainly cheering along and possibly punching in Billabong’s website to purchase throwback duds that remind them of better times.
Are you amongst the nostalgic?
Feeling happy to finally be seen?
Quietly hoping Vans releases an orthopedic shoe in the iconic checkerboard colorway next?
Imagining that Kelly Slater Wave Pool Co. might develop a retirement community soon?
Huzzah.
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Who doesn’t want a pair of spray painted canvas togs that almost used to snap your bones when you could bend?
Nowadays, they’d have to come with a lifetime supply of calcium and vita d tabs…just to get in and outta them.
But they looked shit hot back in the day, and like today, that’s what matters.
Hey Rab,
what’s your thoughts on the execution of those two young jewish folk the other day in DC?
did you celebrate?
… cool. Smug irony is making a comeback! Er, wait…
Surfing has become, unexpectedly, a huge futures bet. All the pools worldwide are changing the view of a simple pastime, and bums on the sand, into an unstoppable force to billions of people going forwards. It’s quite something to watch unfold actually.
not really
When you have lots of Feria, Kala, Cash you create a fun way to show a “loss” or you give it to the Taxman…. Hooray for the “Surf Industry”…. one mans right off, is another man’s yearly salary….weeeeeeee!!!$$$$….
Is ‘Elderly Cool Man’ that much a distant proposition?
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Yeah so are you an ageist
A page from the Happy Journal:
few years ago, I was asked to purchase a well known “surf brand”.
In our initial meetings, discussions turned to how to make the brand sustainable, because everyone could see the cat paws on the horizon.
At that time I was already a bit older (50), enjoying the more refined fabrics of Tommy Bahamas, Boss, etc. that I could wear to dinners and my childrens school functions, but still wearing Volcom and Quik shorts on the daily because they fit good.
Our plans were to expand into 5 divisions, GP, Core, Grom, Wahine and Resort (for the old guys). We walked away from the deal because the founders resisted the (surfers getting older wanting to wear more refined, comfortable, socially acceptable garments that still reflected their surf DNA) expansion, and they wanted us to maintain their old business model….because “that’s what made them who they are”.
Que Sera, Sera. So it Goes.
what was their ‘old business model’?
the one i assume got them needing to sell.
Yep. I should clarify they were not selling the company.
It was a license sale, so they wanted to maintain control of “the brand”.
if only you’d invested, Big Johnson might still be around today
Big Johnson still around….but no longer publicly traded.
due to its inherent flaccidity, which is prob why you in particular were “asked to buy it” in the first place
I buy Quiksilver when it goes on sale at BCF.
I hear ya. You’ll get an inflatable SUP or 14 rashies for the price of a Yeti coffee mug. Can’t afford not to buy
I don’t understand Yeti- who the fuck is dumb enough to take out a second mortgage to buy a coffee cup?
What’s a young buck in the prime of his life wasting his time around here attempting to bait sad old men?
Relative?? That’s not the point but if it makes you feel better about your own surfing than you do you Dick Lover.
“Every dad dresses like the last good year he had, and wears that forever.” –Jerry Seinfeld
I’m quite happy to not grow up and continue wearing surfbrands that were great 25 years ago – it’s like 1/3 of the price it was back then and I stand above whether you can get it at Wallmart/Costco too.
Guessing not a lot of friends there ey ..
Ah man, still love Occ.. That is good shit.
Just saw it on a decent size screen! Awesome !
Beachgrit proves daily that the surf industry’s main market is “elderly men not cool kids”.
Yeah so are you an ageist?
Definitely 💯!!!!LOL
Had enough nazi? Or do ya want some more?
getting washed up onto reef at low tide the worst.
hahaha been there too. Crabbing
Remember seeing a coral mushroom head zoom past me as I was getting worked there. Fucking scary moment
I am not white, am never right ,no might in the fight, for the bight……..ah white?