SIMA IMAGE AWARDS
Core Surf Shops Honored
The SIMA Image Awards honor achievements in the surf business, and the big winner for the SIMA Image Awards was the core surf shop.
The SIMA Surf Shop Gold Wave Award was introduced at the SIMA Image Awards show, which took place Feb. 12 at the City National Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, Calif. The Gold Wave Award honors surf shops that have been in business for 50 years or longer.
SIMA honored 21 of them, and most of them came from California. They included O’Neill’s Surf Shop in San Francisco, Hobie’s in Dana Point, Frog House in Newport Beach and Val Surf, headquartered in Valley Village. Surf legend Shaun Tomson presented the new awards and talked about how these small, independent businesses built the surf scene and industry.
“Every single one of these shops honored tonight has changed lives,” Tomson said from the stage. “If surfing is a religion, surf shops are the temples of stoke.”
The Image Awards have been produced by the trade group Surf Industry Manufacturers Association since 2003. SIMA members nominate and choose the winners. Some brands enjoyed long winning streaks. L*Space by Monica Wise won the “Women’s Swim Brand of the Year” award for seven years. But the streak was broken this year when Beach Riot, a 2-year-old brand from Newport Beach, Calif., was named Women’s Swim Brand of the Year.
In past years, Vans has taken the “Footwear Product of the Year” Image Award. It took the footwear award this year, too. But it also won the 2014 “Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year” Award. Volcom won the “Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year” Award.
Vissla took the “Breakout Brand of the Year” award. Vissla is helmed by Paul Naude, a surf-industry veteran. Vissla started business in late 2013.
