The buzz at Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo, surfwear’s annual party and trade show, wasn’t all about beer and scantily clad girls.
A lot of talk at the show, held at the San Diego Convention Center from Jan. 20 to 22, focused on how Orange County’s surfboard shapers are going to get surfboard blanks now that Laguna Niguel-based Clark Foam is gone.
Clark Foam, which dominated surfboard blank production, closed in December and caused waves in OC’s surf circles.
ASR, based in Laguna Beach and owned by VNU Expositions Inc. of Chantilly, Va., isn’t really a show for surfboard makers. But the clothing designers that dominate ASR are rooted in the sport.
“No one even would be here if it wasn’t for the grassroots people, the shapers,” said Michael Sharp, president of Costa Mesa-based Lucy Love, a maker of swimsuits. “That’s the lifeblood of the industry.”
The San Clemente-based Surf Industry Manufacturers Association held a meeting at ASR to hash out options for shapers.
Dick Baker, president of the association as well as of Irvine-based Ocean Pacific Apparel Corp., said surf shops likely won’t feel a pinch since shapers are bringing in blanks from Australia.
The only other local player, Walker Foam Inc. in Wilmington, has ramped up production.
ASR’s main business was about getting a glimpse of the latest summer and fall garb from OC’s surf and skate brands, such as Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc., Irvine-based Billabong USA, O’Neill Clothing in Irvine and Costa Mesa-based Hurley International, a unit of Nike Inc.
What’s hot: browns, yellows, oranges and reds. Oversized handbags and long dresses for girls. Tapered denim pants for men with wide belts.
What’s out: hot pink anything. Micro-mini skirts and tight jeans for guys.
San Clemente-based Mada was pushing a “straight slim” men’s jean that’s looser than its former super slim version, said owner Vince De La Pena. Men won’t feel as ridiculous wearing the pants, he said. So far buyers dig them, according to De La Pena.
“We need this show to get a read” from buyers, he said.
Mada was among some 20 smaller, up-and-coming brands in a section of the show called Boost Mobile’s Gold Box Mission.
The area was jammed with buyers and other apparel makers on the hunt for something new.
Newport Beach-based Salt Optics caught some eyes with its pricey sunglasses, which range from $275 to $300.
Cofounder Taylor Whisenand, a former marketing director at Quiksilver, said the handmade shades are polarized and use stainless steel on the hinges. The company sells to optometrists and boutiques, such as The Closet in Costa Mesa and Amarees in Newport Beach.
“Our purpose here is to raise brand awareness,” Whisenand said.
Lucy Love’s Sharp said Salt and other new brands help drive excitement. Sharp said he even bought stuff for wife Holly Sharp’s store in Corona del Mar.
As for Lucy Love, Sharp said the brand is expected to grow 30% to 50% this year.
At the show, Sharp said he met with all his major accounts from around the world, including Japan, Canada and Virginia Beach, Va.
“When you give people good product on a consistent basis and it sells, they’re back,” Sharp said.
As usual, the booths of Quiksilver and its Roxy brand were buzzing.
Randy Hild, Quiksilver’s senior vice president, said Roxy continues to build its products, including accessories and shoes.
The brand doubled its offering of bags and expanded its selection of slip-on shoes, Hild said.
Roxy also plans a bedding and bath collection by the end of the year and energy bars and drinks by summer, Hild said.
Energy bars were the “vision” of Quiksilver Chief Executive Bob McKnight, Hild said.
Roxy also plans to unveil more skis with different designs, such as polka dots, Hild said.
The company introduced Roxy skis this winter.
It was one of the first moves Quiksilver made after buying France’s Skis Rossignol SA last year.
Quiksilver, which worked with Rossignol’s Dynastar ski division, needed to nail the introduction of Roxy skis to help reassure Wall Street that buying Rossignol was a good move, according to Hild.
Analysts have been guarded about Rossignol, which was losing money and market share prior to Quiksilver’s buy.
“It was disappointing that they didn’t trust us,” Hild said of the analysts. “We saw (Rossignol) as a diamond in the rough. That’s why it was so important to come out strong with Roxy skis.”
Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc. did its best to cause chaos.
Chief Executive Richard Woolcott and his staff were dressed as rowdy sorority and fraternity college kids.
The first day of the show, Woolcott said he got reprimanded by show security after people started streaking.
The second day was more “tame,” he said. Outside his booth, crowds of showgoers stood in piles of dirty plates, smashed pizza and napkins for a trash-throwing contest.
A Volcom worker refereed as people aimed the trash for the top of an empty beer keg.
