Surfwear label Billabong, owned by Huntington Beach-based Boardriders Inc., tapped social media influencer Julie Sariñana for a collection that’s set to launch in stores and online in March.
Sariñana, creator of the fashion and lifestyle blog “Sincerely Jules,” partnered with Billabong to design a more than 40-piece capsule collection that includes swimwear, denim and beach accessories, as well as apparel such as T-shirts, dresses, and matching tops and bottoms.
Prices will range from $40 to $85.
Billabong’s Global Vice President of Women’s Merchandising and Design Katie Singer said the partnership made sense as the brand and Sariñana “share a mutual love for surf culture.”
“Her style is both refreshingly down to earth and a beautiful source of inspiration,” Singer said in a statement.
The clothing and accessories line is meant to capture the blogger’s carefree and beachy style with a mix of prints, bright and neutral colors in materials such as cotton and linen. The collection’s campaign was photographed in Todos Santos, Mexico, a nod to Sariñana’s Mexican heritage.
“I hope consumers feel a sense of escape through each piece,” she said in a statement.
Sariñana teased the line on Instagram to her 5 million followers in a post earlier this month saying “Happy face because I can’t wait to share something super exciting!” while wearing one of the red and white striped bathing suits from the collection. The post garnered more than 67,000 likes.
It’s not the first time the blogger has linked arms with Billabong.
She previously helped promote some of Billabong women’s “travel-ready” styles in blog posts shared on her own website, as well as Billabong’s.
The company appears to be relocating from its corporate office in Irvine to Huntington Beach by spring, according to several job postings. It’s unclear if the label will be joining its parent company or moving into a separate office.
Ready for Close-Up
Costa Mesa-based marketing and public relations firm Idea Hall wrapped up a rebranding effort for client Ready Capital Corp. (NYSE: RC), a New York-based commercial real estate investment trust, previously known as Sutherland Asset Management Corp.
The project included creating a new company name, logo, ticker symbol, website, creative style guide and brand evolution video.
Idea Hall Group Director of Account Services Dave MacLeod said in a statement that Ready Capital challenged the firm to help unify “its disparate business lines under one brand architecture.”
The company’s logo has the characteristics of a city building at night with its grid of dots mimicking a cube. The dots represent the company’s team members and their relationships, which formed the company’s success, according to Idea Hall.
Ready Capital has more than 400 lending professionals nationwide.
Bits & Pieces
Stance added another National Basketball League star this month to its roster of brand ambassadors known as Punks & Poets. The San Clemente-based sock and intimates maker is working with Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, who will debut an exclusive line of socks this season. He joins current players Dwyane Wade, Klay Thompson, James Harden and former player Allen Iverson. … Melissa Kandel left her post as global director of public relations, communications and digital media at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices to launch her own Newport Beach-based publication, West Oceanfront. The print and online magazine will cover the city’s lifestyle with a focus on food, entertainment and travel. The first edition, “100 pages printed on glossy, high-quality paper,” will be released at the end of this month with a limited distribution. Kandel said she hopes to expand it significantly for the February issue.
