California Apparel News

Denim and action sports have always gone hand-in-hand, from the days the Dogtown boys changed the face of skateboarding while competing in a uniform of blue T-shirts and faded blue jeans to the current craze of skinny jeans, which grew from skate’s punk-rock roots. Now, surf, skate and snow brands—including Rip Curl, Reef, Quiksilver, Nikita, Insight, Lost and 686—are once again putting denim in the spotlight and hoping to reach beyond the core shops with their revamped blue jeans.

The denim focus comes at a time when brands and buyers are warily eying the worsening economy. “It’s a tough economy, and there is not a clear end in sight, so it is all about having the right item at the right price point,” Tom Krecker, a sales manager for the Gotcha and Redsand brands, said during the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo in San Diego in January. Surf and skate staples, including T-shirts, fleece and shorts, proved to be key buys for core shops for Fall 2008. With fashion-forward styles and pricepoints well below premium-denim standards, denim from core brands could be the next musthave for both core shops and boutique retailers.

“There is a huge need for that [lower]-price-point denim with fresh styles,” said Claire Dupois, a senior trend forecaster with Cotton Inc.

Perennial favorites

For Lost, the comfort zone is in basics.

“Denim is a growing focus for Lost,” said Lindsay Henkels, the brand’s juniors national sales manager. “There is a lot of talk about the economy, and we see basics like T-shirts and denim picking up. They are safe buys, even for stores that are being careful.”

Rick Lohr, director of men’s design at Volcom, agreed the slow retail climate puts a spotlight on perennial favorites. “Tshirt, jeans and a hoodie—that’s the uniform of youth,” he said. To meet demand, Volcom hits a variety of price points, including acid-wash jeans that wholesale for $34 and selvage jeans that sell for $160 retail.

In January, Rip Curl launched new denim programs for men and women at Surf Expo in Orlando. “Denim for us used to be virtually nonexistent,” said Amy Olson, director of merchandise and design for girls. The new collections, which include organic denim, feature 10 styles for men and four styles for women. “It is a much more fashion-forward approach,” Olson said. The women’s denim collection includes a slim pencil skirt in black denim and skinny and trouser silhouettes in stark washes—a far cry from surf’s hippie beach-bunny look of seasons past. Retailing at $39.50 to $52, Rip Curl’s denim boasts on-trend style at decidedly non-premium-denim prices. “That’s key,” Olson said.

For Fall 2008, Reef expanded its denim collection from a single piece to four styles—including slim, straight and skinny legs— in a variety of washes. “Denim is such a hard category, but we finally found the right partner, and we’re really proud of what we’re able to offer,” said Lindy Williams, Reef’s girls’ marketing director.

Dare to be different

Nikita brought an expanded collection of 14 denim styles to the January Agenda show in San Diego. Taking a different tack, Nikita’s denim didn’t follow any of the current denim trends for women. The “Gangsta” jean features a low waist and voluminous legs reminiscent of harem pants.

The “Candice” jean features a low-riding crotch and an oversize waistband. The “Yosefine” features wide legs that can be cinched at the ankle with a denim rope. “We brought in two designers to really focus on the denim and differentiate it. Before it was more basic, but now we’ve made it its own division so the design has really stepped up,” said Amabile Dyer, Nikita’s national sales manager. Wholesale prices for the brand’s denim range from $40 to $60.

Some brands took their denim programs to the high end for Fall 2008.

Quiksilver, which debuted its contemporary women’s line at ASR, offered skinny jeans in charcoal washes and with pricy touches, including zipper details, brass buttons on legs and intricate pocket designs. Prices for the collections’ five denim bodies, which include cuffed short shorts and cropped peg-leg jeans, are all under $100 retail, said Steve Ellingson, the brand’s vice president of sales.

Suit up

Billabong, which for Spring 2008 debuted its Designer’s Closet collection, a capsule of fashionforward pieces with better fabrication and a higher price point, whipped up dark high-waisted denim trousers that retail for $59.50. Retail prices for denim in Billabong’s core collection hover around $35. Insight, which has steadily grown its denim program and has been embraced by boutique retailers outside the skate/surf market, introduced the “Vanguard,” a threepiece denim suit. “It is part of our Holiday 2008 collection, and the reaction has been awesome. It has become our real talking point, and our more-fashion boutique accounts are definitely interested,” said Jesse Faen, president of Insight’s domestic division. Sewn from 9-ounce raw denim dipped in resin and sporting suede trim, wooden buttons and contrast lining, the suit is a prime example of how surf/skate brands can put their own twist on denim. “We’re not a suit kind of company, but denim is a huge category for us as a brand and an industry. What we want to do is translate what is going on in high-end fashion at a price point for surf/skate-type accounts,” Faen said. “If you don’t want to wear a penguin suit, we’ve got something for you.” With wholesale prices of $55 for the jacket, $38 for the vest and $40 for the pants, the “Vanguard” is within reach for core accounts and a bargain for specialty retailers.

James Hammonds, the men’s buyer for the American Rag Cie chain of specialty stores, acknowledged the draw to denim from the action-sports market. “It is interesting because they have the fits the hip kids want at prices they can afford,” he said. At its location in Newport Beach, Calif., American Rag has created a shop-inshop for RVCA, a core surf/skate brand with indie fashion appeal.