SurfStitch flips script, showcasing BeachGrit's "I Hate Surfing" in self-aware redemption arc.
We hardly need to revisit the Icarus story of online retailer SurfStitch, I think, although for readers who may’ve swung into this lane late, here’s a recap.
Once upon a time, Australian online action sports clothing retailer SurfStitch was the king of the world. It was ruled by the yin and yang of Lex Pedersen, a cute brunette, and Justin Cameron, a bullish hot blonde with a vision to take SurfStitch to the heavens.
The company they started in a little industrial area on Sydney’s northern beaches in 2007, and which your correspondent duly visited and swooned over, soared to a half-a-billion-dollar valuation by 2014.
Heady, heady days.
And, then, poof, as they say.
A $155 million loss in 2016 was driven by the disastrous acquisition of FCS, Stab, Magic Seaweed and Coastalwatch and shareholder lawsuits over inflated forecasts.
How could it fail?
By 2017, shares had crashed from two bucks to six pennies apiece, and SurfStitch entered voluntary administration, dubbed a “total collapse”.
Alceon Group acquired it in 2018, folding it into Alquemie Group, but recovery stalled.
In 2023, Alquemie posted a $2 million loss, down from a $3.2 million profit, amid redundancies and a failed SurfStitch rebrand.
Anyway, SurfStitch was bought again earlier this year for “a token amount” as it was reported in the financial press and has relaunched with a new model: effectively it’s a staging site, you buy and the order goes straight to the brand, which means no warehousing costs. As well, no discounting, fewer brands and so on.
SurfStitch Hates Surfing too!
From the SurfStitch presser:
SurfStitch’s new direction focuses on a curated marketplace that celebrates Australian coastal living featuring fashion, functional essentials, outdoor adventure gear and products designed for life lived on and around the beach. The launch collection spans women’s, men’s and children’s apparel with an extensive list of brands in the pipeline for 2026 and beyond.
“We want SurfStitch to be commercially viable but also a cool place to shop. In practice that means curating a thoughtful selection of brands and offering the visibility not available on mass, discount-driven platforms – whilst also lifting the bar on design, discovery and the overall customer journey,” adds General Manager Robert Moore.
Agreed. The IHS range is only for the deeply wounded and degenerate.
I hear you, brother.
Yesterday I surfed at my local: overhead waves, 80 degree water, ten people in the water. Sat on the outside with three of my friends. No doubt about it, after 50+ years in the water, I still LOVE surfing.
Vibes. Congrats about living in the one of the few places in the world which consistently has good waves. Surfing is special, when the waves are good.
Why hate surfing when ya can hate BeachGrit
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Back in the day me best mate was offered a sponsorship by Jet Pilot which obviously involved him getting free apparel but also a bit of coin. He of course turned them down stating it would take a lot more than that to make me walk around dressed like a fucking idiot
Similar story here as I don’t see many crew wanting to spend money to look like a volleyball playing seppo soft cock haha. Sorry Dez but that shit is awful bruz
Yes that is all good and all…. but!!!!… If Mad Huey’s came knocking on your door would you open it? Now that is the question.
Hahaha what a great quezzy? On one hand personally I reckon the Harringtons are proper funny cunts and Midget Magic is a legend of a bloke. On the other side I’m not a fisho and have never bought a single item of clothing by them. So yeh fuck it I’d do it as long as there was a little coin involved. The cost of living crisis down here is fucked and I’m a bit of a bogan Strayan cunt anyway so Ahoy mother fuckers haha
I appreciate the honesty
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Luv yall but won’t even consider wearing trunks that contain cotton in the water.
Oh it’s the best. And they fade and get all soft etc.
We’re still talking about the shorts?
I bet those shorts are running off the shelf…
I ll have an ashtray though
All the XLs sold. Meaning all the BG punters have dad bod beer guts.
also hippie holidays you fucks. I hate you all as much as I too hate surfing.
Happy Christmas to you DH’s no fins!
And Kwanza and Hannukah to you DR!
Probably uses FCS… so not missing… just fell out.
Toughest thing I ever had to do was buy fins from FCS after grabbing a board with those damn stupid plugs from Facebook Marketplace.
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“We want SurfStitch to be commercially viable but also a cool place to shop. In practice that means curating a thoughtful selection of brands and offering the visibility not available on mass, discount-driven platforms – whilst also lifting the bar on design, discovery and the overall customer journey,” adds General Manager Robert Moore.
[RALPH]
Lemme know when you’re going broke, Bob. I might buy something ….