California Apparel News

Aaron Pai of Huntington Surf Sport.

Huntington Surf Sport swept the two biggest retail categories at the SIMA Image Awards Feb. 9 in Anaheim, Calif.

The landmark Huntington Beach, Calif.-based surf shop won both awards for men’s retailer of the year and women’s retailer of the year. It’s the first time in the history of the Image awards that any retailer took both men’s and women’s retail trophies presented by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association.

“I am stoked!” HSS’ Aaron Pai told the crowd of more than 800 people at The Grove, the venue where the awards show was held. “I didn’t think we were going to win it.”

After the awards presentation, Pai explained that the staff at his three-location chain in Huntington Beach, Calif., did not execute any special strategy to make them champions in the past year. “We are survivors of the recession. We have the cream of the crop here,” he said pointing some of his top managers and rank-and-file staff who accompanied him to the awards event.

The night also showed the continuation of a new wave for SIMA Image awards. Previously produced at the hard partying resort of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, it was moved closer to the heart of the American surf industry in Orange County, Calif. in 2011. “Before it was just the executives,” said Joel Cooper, chief executive of Lost Enterprises and a SIMA Board member. “We wanted to get consumers involved. We wanted to get people who weren’t executives here.”

Ticket prices were cut to $35 from $50, and some free tickets were distributed to rank-and-file surf shop sales people. But the SIMA Image show attracted top action sports designers and leaders like Bob Hurley of Hurley, Pat Tenore of RVCA, Coco and Izzy Tihanyi of Surf Diva in La Jolla, Calif. Duke Edukas of Surfside Sports in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Mixed in with ribald jokes, intentional F-bombs and ska music, the night was mercifully short on speeches, a lifesaver because trophies for 16 different categories were given out. The winners follow:

Breakthrough Brand of the Year – Stance
Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year – RVCA
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year – Billabong
Men’s Retailer of the Year – Huntington Surf Sport
Women’s Retailer of the Year- Huntington Surf Sport
Breakthrough Retailer of the Year – Maui Nix of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Women’s Swim Brand of the Year – L*Space by Monica Wise
Footwear Product of the Year – Surfsider by Vans
Wetsuit of the Year – FLASHBOMB by Rip Curl
Surfboard of the Year – Fred Rubble by Channel Islands Surfboards
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year – Cypher PS + Heat Vest System by Quiksilver
Environmental Product of the Year – Recycled Boardshort Series by Billabong
Accessory Product of the Year – The FIX by Skullcandy
Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year – Untitled by Insight
Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year – Kelly Slater 10x World Title by Quiksilver

Mandy Fry of Billabong accepts trophy for Women's Apparel Brand of the Year

Pat Tenore of RVCA accepts award for Men's Apparel Brand of the Year.

Monica Wise of L*Space accepts trophy for Women's Swim Brand of the Year.