California Apparel News

In recent years, the focus of juniors lines in the action sports market has skewed increasingly toward fashion-forward styles. Surf and skate companies have trotted out tweed trousers, faux-fur jackets and chiffon dresses alongside their logo T-shirts and hoodies. All of this is in response to the influx of girls entering the boardsports world either by climbing on a board or taking out their credit card.

The move from basic beach coverups to full-fledged fashion has paid off for some brands. Split is selling its pretty offerings at upscale boutiques frequented by starlets, and Hurley is competing with the broader juniors market with its stylish denim and fast-fashion pieces.

But not all brands are following the pack into the fashion frenzy.

Ocean Pacific, a division of Warnaco Group, is narrowing its focus for its juniors line.

“Op’s biggest success of the last two years has been our juniors swim line, and we’ve seen significant increases in the last 12 months,” said Dick Baker, the company’s chief executive. Taking a cue from the success of its swim line, he explained, “the next natural evolution was to create Op Sunwear, a knit-based collection of swim-related prints and colors.”

Tentatively debuted at the MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas, the new juniors direction bows in its entirety at the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo in San Diego.

The new apparel line plays to the swimwear’s strengths by incorporating its prints on T-shirts, fleece pieces, halter dresses, tube dresses, cotton beach pants and shorts. “That allows retailers to merchandise swim- and sunwear together,” Baker said.

Despite the line’s decidedly casual leaning, which features cotton rompers and matching sweatsuits, Baker said the target demographic was slightly older than its previous 14- to 16-year-old customer. “Op Sunwear is cleaner, more simple and sophisticated. We’re bringing a more upscale customer to the brand. I use the analogy of Juicy Couture, which had success as a knit-based line.” No cutesy prints or saccharine colors here.

Op Sunwear dresses wholesale for $23–$30 and shorts range from $19 to $23. The line will deliver eight to 10 times per year, and will focus on a retailer base of specialty stores and surf shops—the same distribution that made Op’s swimwear a hit. Because he wants OP Sunwear to hang alongside Op swimwear, Baker said he would keep the apparel line’s majors distribution tight. So far, Federated Department Stores and Dillard’s have signed on to carry the line.

Eventually, Op hopes to reintroduce outerwear, denim and wovens to its juniors offerings—but not until the Sunwear concept has caught on. “We need to make sure Sunwear is healthy before we can grow the brand,” Baker said.

Janice Gaudelli, a freelance researcher who contributes to market research firm Girls Intelligence Agency, said Op is on the right track. “When everyone is moving in the same direction, things tend to get stale. In reaction, companies start to go back to their heritage and their bare bones,” Gaudelli said.

“It’s pretty smart for a company like Op to get back to basics and reflect its authenticity. It means a lot to their core consumer, which I’ve never thought of as being very fashion-forward,” she added.

Marie Case, managing director of market research firm Board Trac, agreed. “I grew up with Op, and I never associated it with anything but the beach,” she said. Having a strong heritage and brand recognition can make it difficult for Op to compete with the newer brands that are offering fashion-forward apparel. “Consumers will accept fashion from those other brands,” Case said, “but they might not accept it from Op. Focusing on swim and true beachwear is brilliant.”

Baker is confident the new juniors direction fills a market need.

“Companies need to know their competitive landscape,” Gaudelli noted. “Sometimes they just can’t compete—and other times it doesn’t make sense for them to compete. You don’t want to be where everyone else is, and you need to stick with what you know.”