O'Neill: New Team, New Brand
In the wake of top executives Kelly Gibson and Rick Petri’s unexpected jump to competitor Rip Curl in November, Irvine, Calif.–based O’Neill Clothing is focusing on rebuilding its ranks and refreshing its offerings.
Toby Bost, formerly the COO for O’Neill and its sister company, Lost Clothing USA (apparel licensee of the Lost surf brand), has taken the helm of both companies and Metal Mulisha, a new line of licensed apparel inspired by the dirt-bike company of the same name. Now as CEO of the three action sports brands licensed by parent company La Jolla Sport, Bost is confident in the team he has built. Chief among them are Ryan Rush, former Ezekiel creative director, who has joined O’Neill as vice president of men’s merchandise and design, and Tim Garrett, whom Bost has promoted from vice president of marketing at O’Neill to president of Lost, a new post for the company. “It’s been great. We’re looking at it as a great opportunity that has opened up, and we’re excited about the future,” Bost said.
Thanks to Rush, buyers can expect to see a dose of freshness in the upcoming O’Neill men’s collections. “We thought we knew what we were getting when we hired Ryan, but we had no idea. His skill set is so diverse. He’ll be adding newness from a trend perspective and we’re embracing it,” Bost said. Boys’ apparel will be a highlight for the O’Neill brand, and Bost hinted at a major announcement from the brand in the first quarter of 2007.
“The brand has a lot of heritage, and I’m going to keep that DNA intact,” Rush said, adding that he’ll focus on stepping up sportswear. “Right now, we’re the market leader in boardshorts. I want to take each category in sportswear and make it competitive on the same level,” he said. To that end, Rush is growing O’Neill’s yarn-dyed shirts, woven tops and allover-print fleece offerings. Boys’ apparel, a new category that will launch later this year, represents a big opportunity for the brand, Rush said. “Just as juniors [apparel] was a big growth category, we think boys’ and kids’ [apparel] will be a driving force, and we’re investing in it.”
Garrett’s goal at Lost, which has been gaining momentum with its branded energy drink and surf boards, is to support its buzz with cool product, Bost said. For his part, Garrett said the brand, which makes graphic T-shirts, hoodies, shorts and denim, has been lacking focus. “There’s a lot of creativity, and it’s been going in different directions. Now we want to stay irreverent but make sure we’re focused and consistent,” Garrett said.
The new Metal Mulisha license, which went into effect on Jan.1, is La Jolla Sport’s door into the dirt-bike arena, something Bost said is the latest trend in action and extreme sports. The sport is sparsely represented at action-sports industry trade shows such as Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo and Surf Expo by brands such as Fox Racing and Alpinestars. Though still on the drawing board, Bost said Metal Mulisha will embody “moto fashion” and be distributed in everything from hardcore moto gear and parts shops to core surf and skate shops. The brand will debut at ASR on Jan. 25 in San Diego. —Erin Barajas
