"My true passion is building this brand into a reflection of my gratitude from the golden era in professional surfing which I’m very thankful to have experienced."
It’s been a little over three years since Julian Wilson, a one-time contender for the world title, released the debut clothing range of his brand Rivvia Projects, the handle a portmanteaux of the names of his two kids River and Olivia, and which quickly became famous for tight poom-poom shorts and radically aggressive off-the-shoulder tees.
Rivvia Projects is an “an expression of myself, really, and all the things I’m into and passionate about,” Wilson told Monster Children at the time, listing his favourite things as golfing, motorbiking, skating, and mountain bike riding.
Wilson, who is thirty-seven, had followed Kelly Slater, Dane Reynolds/Craig Anderson, John John Florence, Luke Egan into the rag-trade, Slater (Outerknown) Reynolds’ and Ando with Former, John John Florence (Florence Marine X) and Egan with Depactus, a brand that flew a little too close to the sun before the glue holding its wings melted and it was bought for a song by SurfStitch.
Earlier this year, Julian Wilson, described as the best surfer in a generation never to win a world title, announced he’d be having a swing on the WSL’s Challenger Series. He was subsequently gifted a wildcard into the Championship Tour’s Gold Coast Pro and finished half a point shy of victory.
Filipe Toledo won it due, in most part, to a ride described as “the most overscored wave in history”, a nine with change for two turns, although your ol pal DR, in a rare moment of consensus with Brazilian surf fans, believed it deserved the drenching it got from judges, the second turn as hot as watching a brawny teen jock pumping my gal dog fashion.
That second-place was as good as it got, however. In his first two Challenger Series events, a tier below the Championship Tour, Julian Wilson finished 49th and 65th.
And, thus, Julian Wilson has said no more.
Dreams of a WSL return fade away as I take @rivvia.projects by the horns.
My true passion is building this brand into a reflection of my gratitude from the golden era in professional surfing which I’m very thankful to have experienced.
With the continued support or the Rivvia community that is building before my eyes, there’s a lot of hope on the horizon.
Thank you all for supporting small and emerging businesses in the surf and golf industry.
End of a the golden era, y’think?
Do you miss the golden era of Joel, Mick, Julian and co? Or not so much?