Surf Expo: Fashion Focused
ORLANDO, Fla.—Buyers attending Surf Expo homed in on a mix of fashion-forward styles to lure more style-conscious consumers into core shops.
Show organizers did not release attendance figures but said traffic was up 5 percent over last September, making it the highest-attended Surf Expo ever. The buyers shopped among 882 exhibitors showing nearly 5,200 lines, including everything from board-related hard goods to premium denim, art-inspired T-shirts and retro styles slated for Spring 2007.
Even though they are considered less fashion-focused than their West Coast counterparts, East Coast buyers at Surf Expo, held Sept. 15–17 at the Orange County Convention Center, got more adventurous with purchases for Spring.
“As the juniors offerings get more sophisticated and the customer gets more demanding, retailers can’t get away with buying just hoodies and T-shirts,” explained Jim Watson, vice president of sales for Split. Printed dresses, tunics, denim mini-skirts, tailored jackets, slim trousers and nautical pieces did well with the Irvine, Calif.–based manufacturer’s accounts. Sportier pieces, including skinny plaid shorts and a shrunken windbreaker, also did well at the show.
Lucy Love designer Amber Sharp said most of the 150 accounts she saw at the show wanted feminine silhouettes and dresses. “Sixties shift dresses, knit dresses and party dresses were my biggest Spring and Summer trend,” she said. The Costa Mesa, Calif.–based line offers dresses every season, but the category accounted for a whopping 40 percent of her Spring business. “I feel like that number will continue to increase,” Sharp said.
All-over prints and girly novelty items were hot at Lake Forest, Calif.–based Etnies Girl. Striped dresses, cute tops and slim, pinstripe velvet sweatsuits did well with East Coast buyers, said sales manager Julie Gormick.
Cult showed buyers gray stovepipe jeans, skinny plaid blouses and garment-dyed T-shirts. The Huntington Beach, Calif.–based manufacturer replaced simple hoodies with wool boat-neck sweaters, ribbon-tied cardigans and a modified motorcycle jacket.
The Paul Frank Collection from Paul Frank Industries showed playful lingerie alongside stylish tops inspired by high-end fashion. A shrunken jacket with tuxedo tails and a fitted vest with a cameo brooch did well at the show. Dresses, including a pink lace number with cotton insets and a strapless romper, were also strong sellers for the Costa Mesa–based brand.
Surf Diva, which unveiled an updated direction at the recent Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo in San Diego, counted a black denim mini as one of its best sellers. The La Jolla, Calif.–based brand also announced the addition of Snow Diva and Skate Diva collections to its apparel lineup.
Rip Curl found success with pieces inspired from its archive. A heather gray and oatmeal hoodie from 1981 was reimagined as a snug hoodie for girls. Men’s boardshorts got a similar nostalgic treatment with an original all-over print. In all, Rip Curl offered 18 pieces for juniors and 12 pieces for men in its retro capsule.
The Costa Mesa–based brand also wooed buyers with juniors dresses—a category that David Lawn, the company’s group chief executive, estimated could account for 10 percent of the brand’s 2006 business.
Despite having buyers snatch up dresses and other fashion-forward offerings, Lawn said Rip Curl wasn’t looking to compete with more established fast-fashion resources. “It’s dangerous to simply follow the lead of ones who do it better—like Forever 21 and H&M,” he said. “We develop products that work—from swimsuits to wet suits to sportswear. We have to rely on authenticity and the DNA of the brand.”
Still, it was a rare brand that didn’t offer trendy goods. Even Alpinestars, a Torrance, Calif.–based brand best known for its snow gear, showed pretty dresses perfect for a mall or boutique.
Joe Varricchio, buyer for West Palm Beach, Fla.–based Shred Shed, came to Surf Expo to write orders on goods he saw the week before at ASR. “I’m seeing if the baggy jeans for guys I saw in San Diego are working their way over,” he said. On his men’s shopping list were polo shirts, graphics- heavy T-shirts and preppy skate-rat styles. Although his budget is the same as last year’s, Varricchio said he would be devoting more of his cash to fashion-forward apparel and less to simple T-shirts.
Costa Mesa–based watch brand Vestal debuted an expanded line of bags, wallets, belts, hats and T-shirts. “V-neck T-shirts are the next big thing. You heard it here first,” said Chris Friel, the brand’s sales manager.
Among the established surf and skate brands were new and unexpected resources. Irvine-based juniors brand B.B. Dakota showed ’60s-inspired mod coats. Los Angeles–based luxury T-shirt line C&C California made its first foray into the surf market at the show. “We have such brand recognition in the contemporary market that we thought we’d give the Resort and Surf market a try,” said Lisa Fink, the brand’s sales rep. It caught the eye of attendees, some of whom were even wearing the brand, but ultimately C&C’s price points proved to be too high for the average core specialty shop. Prices were $25 for long-sleeved tops and $50 for dresses.
Silver Jeans, based in Winnipeg, Canada, showed its premium denim to core and boutique buyers. “Surf and skate buyers tend to opt for more core brands, but this is a good show for us to reach specialty boutique buyers,” said Alan Einarson, vice president of men’s denim.
Steve Osburg, owner of Totally Board in Clearwater, Fla., said he scoured the show for up-and-coming brands. “Everyone else can carry the big, mainstream brands. I want something different,” he said. On his list were fledgling brands, including Monument and Jedidiah.
Although Surf Expo offered plenty of smaller brands to choose from—most of them located in the show’s new-brand showcase, Launch—Osburg admitted that not everyone shares his vision. “Florida is a year or two behind the West Coast,” he said. “Trying to get kids [here] to try something different can be tough.”
