#051. FEBRUARY 2011. €5

EUROPEAN SURF/SKATE/SNOW BUSINESS TROUBLE IN THE EAST... EASTERN EUROPEAN SKATE SCENE OVERVIEW PRICES – THE INEVTIBALE INCREASE?

WETSUIT BIG WIG MARKET INTERVIEW OVERVIEW MERVIN’S PETE SAARI NEOPRENE SALES HOTTNG UP WOMEN’S ISSUES FEMALE LIFESTYLE CLOTHING MARKET ANALYSIS AW11/12 OUTERWEAR & SNOWBOARD PREVIEWS WE BRING YOU X PAGES OF SMOKIN’ HOT NEWSTUFF

PLUS: TRADE SHOW PREVIEWS, BRAND PROFILES GIRO, ForceField, RHYTHM, FINANCIAL INDEX

051 Managing and English Editor Jojo Cook [email protected] CONTENTS Surf and French Editor Iker Aguirre [email protected] News 13 Snowboard Editor Rémi Forsans Financial Index 14 [email protected] Trade Show Preview 17 Editor Holger Von Krosigk [email protected] Retailer Profile 21 German Editor fine lines marketing gmbh Snowboard Trends 23 [email protected] Snowboard Product Pictorial 29 Art Director Owen Tozer at MadeUp [email protected] Snowboard Prices 45 www.thisismadeup.co.uk Women’s Market Analysis 47 French Editorial Assistant Denis Houillé [email protected] Big Wig Interview 50 Web & News Editor James Dalzial Eastern Skate 53 [email protected] Goggle Pictorial 59 Proofreaders Jo Fairweather, Lydia Heckl, Marie-laure Ducos Wetsuit Trends 63 Contributors Men’s AW11 Outerwear Trends 69 Uwe Ballon, Chus Castéjo, Dave ‘DC’ Colwill, Fabien Grisel, Franz Hoeller, Muck Müller, Digby Reed, João Rei, Women’s AW11 Outerwear Trends 85 Luke Van Unen, Dirk Vogel, Denis Houillé, Matt Barr, Chris Moran. Brand Profile: Giro 99 Jobs and Distributor Services Digby Reed Brand Profile: Rhythm 101 [email protected] Brand Profile: Forcefield 103 Advertising & Marketing Clive Ripley [email protected] Best Sellers 105 Germanic Markets Advertising Konrad ‘Kone’ Heigl New Products 108 [email protected] +49 (0) 89 5526 0915 Market Intelligence 111 Production Manager Events 124 [email protected] One Eyed Monster 126 Accounts Manager [email protected]

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Publisher Clive Ripley Welcome readers, to the 51st issue of SOURCE, Also , writer Tom Wilson-North [email protected] and as of 3rd February, the Chinese Year of the gives us an in-depth analysis of next season’s Rabbit. So what does our spiritual furry friend new products in his trend and tech forecast Published by Business have in-store for us in 2011? According to Eastern (p.23). Meanwhile, when it comes to creativity 22 Friars Street, Sudbury mythology, the rabbit heralds a period of respite and thinking outside the box, it’s clear the , CO10 2AA. UK after the last 12 months - the Year of the Tiger. outerwear designers are several steps ahead of SOURCE is published bi-monthly Many of you will no doubt agree that last year us, as you’ll see in our 14-page Outerwear Trend © Extreme Sport Business. All Rights Reserved was a tough one, a time of fighting back against Preview – and if you’re undecided which shows economical challenge, where we had to sharpen you’re going to go to or what they’ve got on www.boardsportsource.com our claws in order to get back into the black and offer, check out our Trade Show Preview (p.17). regain our financial stability. Let’s hope then that In skate, writer Niall Neeson looks at changes to On The Cover the Rabbit Year lives up to its divine promise: a the scene in Eastern Europe, and asks if sharing Christoph Troyer, Filmer and time of peace and moderation, of comfort and experiences can lead to shared solutions. Cutter at Munchie Konsilium prosperity. Bring on the bunny! In surf, Denis Houillé looks at the wetsuit market, And as we enter the AW11/12 trade show season, a sector that’s been enjoying steady growth. After a new sense of optimism is in the air. We’ve hearing reports about a potential slow-down in weathered tempestuous times, and although women’s lifestyle clothing, we send writer Cherry several countries are still in the eye of the storm, Martin out on the streets to investigate ‘What CONTENTS many of us have managed to steer through it Women Want’ (p. 47). And finally, we introduce Mathieu Crepel into calmer waters. There will certainly be new a new and regular feature ‘Best Sellers’ (p. 105) Argentina Pic: F Ducasse/Quik challenges ahead, not least from the threat posed where we talk to leading retailers to find out by the end of the ‘cheap days of China.’ With the what’s hot and what’s not. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted cost of labour and materials on the rise, we need in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval to find solutions around it – perhaps we will even So there you have it, a packed issue, a packed system of any nature without prior written permission, except for permitted fair dealing under the Copyright see a shift back to European production. This trade show schedule and an exciting year ahead. Designs and Patents Act 1988. Application for permission is a topic our snowboard Editor, Remi Forsans Have a cranking 2011 – let’s hope the Rabbit God for use of copyright material including permission to reproduce extracts in other public works shall be made to ponders in his piece ‘Snowboard Pricing – the is good to us. Amen. the publishers. Full acknowledgement of author, publisher Inevitable Increase?’ on page 45. and source must be given. The views expressed in this see you at the shows... Jojo Cook publication are not those necessarily held by the Publisher. ISSN # 1478-4777

www.boardsportsource.com 11 INDUSTRY news 051 corporate movers & SHAKERS

TWO NEW HEADS BIRDHOUSE FOR NUTCASE Nutcase have strengthened their European team with the appointment of Birgit Gosda as Business JOINS Development Manager and Fabian Knauf as Sales and Marketing Assistant. Birgit has a Masters SYNDROME Degree in Economics and Marketing as well as over 15 years experience in marketing and brand Tony Hawk’s Birdhouse has communication. Before coming to Nutcase she announced a new partnership with Syndrome worked as a Senior Account Director on global Distribution. Established in 1992 by Tony accounts for the worldwide advertising agency Hawk, Birdhouse produces skateboard decks, group Ogilvy and Mather, with clients such as wheels, accessories, branded soft goods LG Electronics, BP, DHL. Fabian just finished and completes. Syndrome is a worldwide University (University of Applied Sciences in distributor and manufacturer of skateboard Bochum, ) with a 'Bachelor of Arts' degree brands including Silver Trucks, BLVD in business administration. Skateboards, FKD Bearings and Traffic Skateboards. “It’s going to be a privilege to work with one of the most iconic brands in APPOINT the industry. It’s the perfect addition to the rest of our strong cast of brands,” said Dave TWOTHIRDS Andrecht, Sales Manager at Syndrome. BRAND MANAGER Jan Groenendijk is the new Brand Manager for Central Europe. Setting up the brand in the key markets in Europe will be his sole target. HOME READY FOR Operating from Germany, Jan will report directly to the company’s HQ in San Sebastian, Spain. Coming from the world, Jan has worked for INTERNTIONAL LAUNCH numerous organisations and institutions all over the planet in advertising, sports communication, Swiss Made watches spiced up with a tight marketing, sponsorship, event management as well range of accessories including leather wallets, as a number of surfing associations and federations. belts, hats and tees, hOme was founded by Swiss He has been President of the German Surfing brothers Jak and Dousse and Canadian Association (DWV) since 2007 and a member of the friend Steve Harris. Anchored in the lifestyle executive board of the European Surfing Federation of with extended views on fashion, (ESF) since 2009. they have stories to tell and will be presenting their first collection at ISPO Munich this year, Hall A2 / 300. NEW TEAM MANAGER AT FLOW Former pro snowboarder Robbie Sell is the new TIGNES GETS SET FOR SECOND Team Manager at Flow. He has spent many years in front of the lens as well as behind it having appeared in magazine editorial as well as having stand-out WINTER rolls in videos such as Neoproto. Flow also recently This second-annual Winter X Games Europe in Tignes (co-produced by ESPN and Canal+Events will brought on Drew Satin as its new Video Manager. take place from 16th-18th March. Over the three days more than 150 world-class athletes will compete Satin and Sell have worked together extensively in eight disciplines, including and Snowboard Superpipe and Slopestyle for men and women. over the years and they will form the basis for Confirmed competitors include · Jenny Jones (GBR) · Kevin Rolland (FRA) · Xavier Bertoni (FRA) · Flow’s new team management, photography, video, Mathieu Crépel (FRA · (AUS) · (SUI) · Tom Wallisch (USA). multi and social media content collections and http://winterxgameseurope.canalplus.fr production.

GIRO SNOW HELMET DISTRIBUTOR SESSION IN BERGEN, OF THE YEAR NORWAY WINS After 120% growth in the current season, Madison the UK distributor has EMERICA STAY GOLD been awarded Snow Helmet Distributor Of The Year at the Giro International Distributor Awards. Dominic Langan, Madison’s CEO, said; "We've only been COMPETITION distributing Giro snow helmets for the last two seasons but we have enjoyed From more then 50 European entries it was Session that made the most stylish phenomenal year-on-year growth. Giro is a market leading brand and customers Emerica Stay Gold window. The shop won €1,000 worth of Emerica products in the snow sports channel in the UK have responded really well to Madison's and an Emerica team visit in 2011. Sebastian Rafen and Mats Willassen of distribution style and company ethos and this award is testament to that." Session designed the windows.

for daily breaking news go to: www.boardsportsource.com 13 051 BEATS ESTIMATES AND ATTRACTS INTEREST Based on preliminary data, the company estimates that full-year net revenues reported in the financial statements, European net revenues decreased 8% for fiscal 2010 were between $1,835 million and $1,840 million, compared to during the full year of fiscal 2010 to $729.0 million. With respect to fiscal net revenues of $1,977.5 million for fiscal 2009, and that full-year pro-forma 2011, pro-forma adjusted EBITDA for the full fiscal year is expected to be adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2010 was up at least 30% from pro-forma adjusted approximately in line with that of fiscal 2010. However, pro-forma adjusted EBITDA of $160.3 million for fiscal 2009. The company reduced its debt by EBITDA in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 is expected to be approximately $5 30% to $729 million compared to $1,039 million a year ago. Over $100 million million to $10 million lower than in the first quarter of fiscal 2010, due primarily of the $310 million debt reduction total was derived from cash generated to increased spending in brand development, including the new Quiksilver by the business in fiscal 2010. Net revenues in the Americas for fiscal 2010 Girls collection and higher overall marketing spend. Quiksilver shares have decreased 9% to $843.1 million. In constant currency, European net revenues recently jumped on market speculation in the French newspaper La Tribune decreased 7% compared to the prior year. As measured in US dollars and that French-owned luxury group PPR could be interested in the company.

BILLABONG LOWERS VF BRAND NIKE’S EARNINGS GUIDANCE NET INCOME Anticipated first-half NPAT will be 8 to 13% lower than the previous year following a review of actual LOOKS TO DOUBLE UP 22% trading results through to the end of November For the quarter ended November 30, 2010, and preliminary sales data for the first two weeks SALES BY 2015 earnings per share for the quarter were up 24% on Steve Rendle, President of The North Face, is of December. This revised first half year guidance 10% higher net revenue as their brands continued targeting a five-year compounded annual growth principally reflects an unseasonably cool and wet to experience strong sales and benefit from rate in revenues of 16% to reach $3 billion by 2015. weather on the East Coast and weakened consumer clean inventory positions. Revenues increased To achieve this, the brand is investing heavily in spending, particularly in the Queensland market 10% to $4.8 billion. Revenues growth was driven technology and innovation, e.g. The Kishtwar Jacket which have both led to lower than expected sales. by all seven Nike key brand categories except was awarded ‘Gear of the Year’ by Outside magazine. The US has seen a shift in seasonal orders from Sportswear; which was down slightly compared TNF is looking to increase its total global direct- major customers resulting in later delivery of to the prior year - and every region except Japan. to-consumer business from 19% to 25% of global some product and, therefore, pushing expected Hurley revenues grew double digits in the quarter, revenues by 2015. "In 2010 VF's Outdoor and Action sales into the second half of the financial year and, as did the revenues of ; Net income Sports Coalition will comprise more than 40% of VF's to a lesser extent shortfalls in wholesale repeat increased 22% to $457 million. Nike did not reveal total revenues and we expect these will continue to business in Europe in the lead-up to Christmas specific results for Nike action sports, but indicated be our fastest growing businesses over the coming and softer than previously anticipated growth in the category grew during the quarter. Nike ended years,” said Eric Wiseman, Chairman and Chief the wholesale business in Japan. For the full year the quarter with $4.8 billion in cash and short- Executive Officer of VF Corporation. is revising its previously stated constant term investments. currency guidance of 2% to 8% NPAT growth. It now anticipates constant currency NPAT to be flat for the 2010/11 financial year.

Stock Name Stock Symbol 52 Week 52 Week P/E Market Cap Latest 1-YR Brands High Low (millions) Price Return (time of press) % AG GR:ADS ¤49.235 ¤48.235 17.549 ¤11.33 BN ¤48.435 27.121 Amer Sports Corp AMEAS:FH ¤10.92 ¤10.65 14.981 ¤1.30BN ¤10.74 55.402 Atomic, Bonfire, Salomon Billabong, Element, Kustom, Von Zipper, Nixon, Excel, DaKine, Billabong International BBG:AU AUS$8.490 AUS$8.160 14.472 AUS$2.143BN AUS$8.450 -21.863 Sector 9 PSS:US $21.410 $20.930 12.7 $1.324BN $21.240 -7.451 Airwalk, Lamar, Sims, Vision Street Wear Columbia Sport NASDAQ:COLM $61.150 $58.890 23.1 $2BN $59.480 58.044 Dwindle (almost, blind, Darkstar, enjoi, Tensor, Speed Globe International Ltd ASX:GLB AUS$0.645 AUS$0.645 20.347 AUS$ 26.744,000 AUS$0.645 31.159 Demons, Globe, Cliche) Iconix ICON:US $20.45 $19.96 15.731 $1.48BN $20.450 59.02 , Intersport PSC Holding XSWX:IHSN CHF102.000 CHF97.00 24.619 CHF42,680,000 CHF97.000 N/A Jarden Corp. JAH:US $31.910 $31.280 13.704 $2.895BN $31.520 13.704 Adio, Hawk , Holden, K2, Morrow, Planet Earth, Ride, Volkl LaFuma SA FP:LAF ¤14.75 ¤14.05 N/A ¤49.303,000 ¤14.18 28.909 Oxbow Luxottica Group Spa IM:LUX ¤23.06 ¤22.54 26.849 ¤10.467BN ¤22.54 26.849 Oakley, Arnette Nike Inc NKE:US $85.750 $83.750 20.234 $40.126BN $83.97 30.416 Converse, Hurley, Nike SB, Nike 6.0, ACG, Nike Orange 21 ORNG:US $1.350 $1.350 N/A $16,174,000 $1.350 87.5 Spy Optics Quiksilver Inc NYSE:ZQK $5.520 $5.180 20.6 $860.708,000 $5.250 134.375 Bent Metal, DC, GNU, Quiksilver, Quiksilver Womens, Roxy VF Corp VFC:US $86.790 $84.690 13.545 $9.225BN $85.060 19.558 , Pro-Tec, Eastpak, The North Face, Reef Volcom Inc VLCM:US $19.400 $18.330 18.796 $449.617,000 $18.420 17.285 Volcom, Electric WeSC SS:WESC SEK 92.500 SEK 92.5 14 SEK 683.215,000 92.5 1.53 Zumiez Inc ZUMZ:US $27.090 $25.010 40.397 $780.570,000 $25.450 105.9

14. www.boardsportsource.com - for daily breaking news... tradeshowsbrand profile

It’s that time of year again. You’ve finished the post- Christmas detox; you’re made-up with your sales figures for this winter, and salivating at the thought of catching a preview at next year’s tasty kit. So get your order books and the Ibuprofen at the ready, cause that’s right folks, it’s trade show time!

Slide

Slide and its predecessor Soltex has been in December they had already surpassed last 21-23 February, Telford Manchester since the early 1990’s, however year’s final figures, both in terms of numbers International Centre, UK organisers have now moved the show to a new of stands booked and the total area booked, with venue with a better fit. The Telford International over 80 exhibitors representing around 250 www.slideuk.co.uk Centre’s big attractions are two on-site hotels, different brands. parking right at the venue without any charge, and regular trains from Birmingham airport. On Looking ahead to the show, organiser Lesley top of the venue change, Slide has reverted to Beck said, “The early season cold spell has its original date after ispo and will be in Telford come at an ideal time for specialist ski and from 21st – 23rd February. snowboard retailers, bringing consumers into their stores to spend money at a key time of With news of both changes the take-up by year. No one is losing sight of the reality of the exhibitors has been incredibly positive and economic situation, but I think it’s fair to say that within a few weeks of stand space going on the cold snap pre-Christmas may make all the sale Slide had to increase the area of the show difference to the winter season for retailers and to accommodate this demand. As of early suppliers.”

Snowbaw Shows & Tour

Originally the Snowbaw Show and its later spin- Darren added; “In Scotland we are seeing huge 10-12 and 24 - 26 January, off tour, this concept was started as a way of increases in retail sales for the second year Edinburgh, Scotland offering both brands and retailers cheaper . The domestic scene has gone crazy alternative to the other larger shows. The thanks to the insane snowfall of the last two 31 Jan - 2 February, Reading, UK concept is very simple being trade-only with winters. With spending money (GBP) not going no large stands just rails, tables and products very far in the Alps these days it seems that on display, keeping prices down and allowing a lot of people are updating their equipment smaller core brands a chance to shine alongside and riding in Scotland instead of going abroad the existing big boys. This, as organiser Darren quite so much. Numbers are good. More people Anderson puts it, helps to create “one of the booked in than last year’s show already. All the friendliest and chilled sales environments on usual suspects are there, from Volcom, Rome, the planet. I’ve genuinely never been to another K2, Ride, Grenade, Thirtytwo and Bawbags to show where “competitors” go out of their way to Vans, Nixon, Vestal and umpteen skate brands. help each other out.” Visitor numbers continue to grow. We often have stores from the south of England coming along, This year the new dates and location of Slide as they prefer the quiet, hassle free atmosphere mean there is only time for one Snowbaw at Snowbaw. We run a summer show, Beachbaw, roadshow (tour), which takes place in Reading in Edinburgh every year too. Once we see the from the 31st January to 2nd February. Before diaries for next year’s ISPO etc. we may this there are a series of individual Snowbaw at putting on another show in the middle of shows North of the border in Edinburgh, with England too.” the outdoor-show on 10th to 12th January and snowboard and ski shows from 24th to 26th January split across two venues in the city. brandtradeshows profile

6-9 February 2011 Munich, Germany ispo www.ispo.com

From the 6th to 9th February 2011 ispo will open its doors for Sunday 7th and Monday the 8th February 2011. The series of art exhibitions the 71st time. Net exhibit space has increased by nearly 12% compared to showcase international artists, designers, photographers and musicians. Each last year and with more than 100,000m2 booked, this edition of the show will invite-only showcase is a one-off collection of photography, sculpture, design, extend across all of the exhibit halls at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre. It is live painting and sketches. not only the exhibit space that is breaking records, the number of exhibitors is also looking good to exceed previous records, as 2,000 exhibitors have already For the first time ispo is presenting the Fixedgearlondonism Exhibition by registered. Streetwear Today and Spoke Magazine. The event is designed to build bridges between and action sports through an exhibition featuring contemporary Once again board_ispo will spread across 3 halls, A1 to A3 with crossover bike culture: fixie, fixedgear, singlespeed, track bike and also congeneric cycles, freeski brands sharing the space in Hall A3 alongside their board-riding parts and other goods. Highlights of the exhibition include collaborations of the counterparts. The break down of the halls is yet to be confirmed (at the time past, present and future between leading action sports brands and the world of going to print), however previous instalments have seen hardgoods and of . During all four days of the show, the notorious Fixed Gear London apparel being the main focus in Hall A1, technical and lifestyle apparel in Hall Crew will show demos of state-of-the-art riding with brakeless bikes along A2 while brands bridging the gap between boardsports/freeski apparel and with a photo exhibition in conjunction with Spoke Magazine. accessories have been located in Hall A3. Further to these exhibitions ispo is branching out, outside of Munich after the A must-attend gathering for any retailer going to Munich will be the board_ispo show with a new equipment-testing event the ‘ispo On Snow Demo’. For the Shop Summit where free expert talks and lectures are available to snowboard first time guests will be given the opportunity to test products from February retailers covering all business issues. Topics such as the loss of sales caused 10th to 12th on the Hinteruxer Glacier in the Zillertal, Austria. More than 20 by eBay and the like, how to take advantage of Facebook and Twitter, as well manufactures will give you the chance to give over 500 products ranging as the need to attract fresh blood to snowboarding will be covered by the from to snowboards, apparel to accessories a go. instruction speakers. seminars, outings and many more events will be taking place. Reservations for the ispo On Snow Demo can be made via the ispo website. This year’s shop summit will also address the very important but often ignored topic of getting new blood into snowboarding. Promoted by the slogan The SOURCE Job Agency will again be the platform for companies looking 'SHREDIVATE! – Get new people on board’, it will serve as a public platform for quality staff with the right attributes seeking a career in the industry. Plus for brands, associations, event organisers and other activists that try to get it provides an excellent opportunity for manufacturers looking to add new new people involved in snowboarding. The possible suggestions and solutions territories to their businesses to liaise with distributors and visa-versa. For offered to the current issues facing retailers will be in hall A1.319 daily. more information contact [email protected].

All attending brands are invited to enter their best products for the 2011/12 Finally, in order to see the brands with true environmentally friendly credentials winter season into the ispo Boardsports Award taking place daily in hall A1.419. 7skygreenroom will be presenting their 35m long wall in hall A1 for the most In addition to winning an award, winners will also automatically be nominated ecologically produced product of winter 2011/12. The concept is simple, brands for the ispo Product of the Year. The winning product will be celebrated at the who feel concerned about this issue are invited to rent a wall-space (1.5m) that ‘Snowball Party’, during the EuroSIMA Mountain Division Gala Event at the they can decorate freely as they choose. Eco-rating is done by looking at each SOURCE Snow Industry Forum. brand and its supply chain transparency.

Never one to stand still this time there are many new events taking place across Ispo is providing deals for those who get in early and book online (up to 50%). the show, two of the most interesting being the ‘Fixedgearlondonism’ Exhibition So it is highly advised if you are going to one show this winter make it this one and the Nixon Art Mosh show. In partnership with ispo and Factory Media, and do the right thing - apply early and reap the financial rewards. There is also Nixon will host the next installment of The Nixon Art Mosh European Tour on a guide on how to make the most of your trip at www.ispo.com.

18. www.boardsportsource.com retailer profile

UUnionnion55 HHelsinkielsinki ,, FFinlandinland

What is your name and the name and address What are the benefits of having a physical shop 300 different models – that’s quite a lot for a of your store? over simply having an online store? board store. My name is Mr Vesa Huttunen and I’m one of five It is always better when a customer can touch founders of UNION FIVE store and the last to stay and feel the product. The shop atmosphere is How do you stay in touch with the wants and with the store. The store is located at the Kamppi really important and affected by the presence needs of your customers? shopping mall in Helsinki, . Nowadays I of good sales people, snowboard boots are very Our range is large and we have to follow the work more in back office and Tuukka Helminen is difficult to buy from an online shop for example. trends and main product offerings, adapting them the store manager. All technical products need service and it’s if necessary. We also try to bring new brands in always better to buy these from physical stores. (big or small) each season. Please give a brief history of your store From your perspective, what does the future including when it was started, who started it, With what brand(s) do you do the most hold for surf, skate and snow? who the owners and key players are. volume? is quite big and is stable, Here is the history briefly: We started Union Total biggest volume is for DC, but our best- snowboard has been weak from bad weather but Five 15 years ago, back in the day with Anssi, selling model is The Lakai: Manchester. Girl last year everything changed. Eeva, Harri and Tommi. Our master plan was and Enjoi tees have a huge demand. to build the store, with three different worlds Does your store sponsor athletes, competitions, like skateboarding/snowboard, vintage and etc? If so, what are the benefits to the store and streetwear. Over the years, the other partners to the boardsports community? got fed up with it and we bought the others out “Online business has We have a strong team, we do film tours both four years ago. We “survived” the crisis and domestically and internationally, plus we have business started growing fast. grown very strongly in the music and DJs. We organise skateboard and snowboard events. Plus it’s now easier to What is the product mix of your store? last few years and today it showcase your riders via videos and online The product mix is little unusual because clothing media. is almost 50% of total turnover (40% of that is skateboard and 10% snowboard brands). Shoes accounts for 23% of sales.” What makes your store so successful? account for 30% and hardgoods make up 20%. First of course are the employees, also commercial brands and knowhow. What percentage of your sales are from online What are your secrets for selling high-end business compared to your brick-and-mortar products? Where do you hope your business will be in five sales? I don’t believe in secrets or magic. Just know years? Online business has grown very strongly in the what you are doing, know your target group and Still developing – that’s the best motivator. We last few years and today it accounts for 23% of their needs, hire hardworking people and listen have a business plan and the long term plan is to sales. In the last few months online sales has with an open mind. Follow what happens in the open more stores. been particularly successful for us and we have big world; sell well known/marketing brands with strong faith in the future of this. credible team riders. In what ways can suppliers improve their There is much more to your offering than just support for independent boardsports retailers? a shop, you organise surf camps and run a What makes your store different and in what It is difficult to say, but we need more focus and surf school as well as board and wetsuit repair ways does your store excel beyond your support for independent board stores, both are and rental and there is café in there too! How competition? important. Chain and sport stores now stock the important are these extra facets to your store? Our product range is much bigger than our same goods as us but they’re only a margin of We organise skateboard and snowboard events, competitors. We have an interesting variety their turnover and it’s not important for them like we have a strong team filming tours for domestic of brands. Our shoe selection is pretty big. For it is for us, it’s our livelihood. and international teams. example we have shoes on the wall with about

Kamppi Center 5th Floor, 00100 Helsinki. Tel. + 358 (0)10 425 7360. Web: www.unionfive.fi

www.boardsportsource.com 21 snowboard trends

2011/12 snowboard PREVIEW It's an exciting time to be a boardshop right now. Tons of different rocker/camber options, some crazy sidecuts and plenty of new core materials mean that more customers than ever will be coming through the photo: Arbor door, trying to figure out just what the hell is going on with it all. Fortunately, thanks to some sick graphics and big advances in rack appeal, chances are high that they'll be leaving with a new board (or two) under their arm. Tom Wilson-North looks at the hottest of next year's offerings.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ROCKER AND CAMBER 's Brand Manager Xavier Mora. “Flambas require less force and effort Do you prefer camber, camber with a rockered tip or tips, flat, flat with rocker, for you to get air compared to a traditional board. We tested them last summer in tip-to-tail rocker, or rocker with camber underfoot? And was that straight rocker Folgefonna with our team, and everybody is backing them up.” or elliptical? Sorry, let me uncross my eyes for a second. Let's break down the different options here. REVERSE Full reverse seems to be cementing its place as a predominantly freestyle and CAMBER beginner application. “Reverse camber has a place in snowboarding, and we “Camber has been working on snowboards since it was introduced. What, accommodate kids who want a jibby, skateboard feel that reverse camber allows,” all of a sudden it doesn't work? All of a sudden the opposite is true? No, the says Jeff Baughn, founder of Academy. And let's not forget how reverse camber reality is that whichever design a person prefers is the best one for them”, says really rips in the deep stuff. “Some of my riders really ride better, especially in Brenton Woo, President of Automaton, the only brand we spoke to not making powder, with reverse camber boards,” confirms Imperium creator Demir Julia. rockered boards. Nearly everybody is “They're stomping more; but hey, I'm still making camber; Salomon are using talking about them new generation it on the new Bode Merrill pro model, Camber profiles have grown up a bit dudes that learned everything in the called The Man's Board. So camber is park and didn't touch pow for the first not dead yet. Mark Sullivan, marketing since last year's 'the more rocker, the four years of their careers. For them it's guy at Rome agrees, “In general, we see helping.” Burton, Head, Flow, Signal, a trend towards harder snow conditions better' tendency; it seems that less is Rome, Arbor, Salomon, Asthetika, and more aggressive riders preferring Stepchild, Amplid, M3, Forum, Volkl, camber.” Not to mention the guy who becoming more. Academy, Apo, Icon, Imperium... it wants a board and is unconvinced by seems that practically everyone agrees new advances in snowboarding, no that reverse is here to stay. matter what you tell him. HYBRID FLAT Possibly the most contentious profile is the hybrid camber. Last year Never But there's no doubt that rocker is absolutely the hot topic still and it's here that Summer patented their Rocker and Camber design (rocker between the feet, we'll all do the bulk of our sales. Camber profiles have grown up a bit since last camber beneath the bindings), which they've been doing since 2008. “The rocker year's 'the more rocker, the better' tendency; it seems that less is becoming helps the board float in powder and keeps the board playful, and the camber more. Signal mellow out the Park Rocker with Rocker Light, and introduce Park helps maintain the high speed stability and pop. You get the best of both worlds,” Flat, which is straight through the edge contact. K2 zap the only remaining says NS International Sales Manager Tony Sasgen. Mervin's C2 – on Gnu, Roxy regular-cambered deck in their line to become an all-Flatline company. Head roll & Lib Tech - is very similar, although developing; the latest advancement, EC2, out a similar new profile called Flamba, and Nitro, Apo, Stepchild, M3, Smokin', gives the beneath-binding camber more of an elliptical shape and feels “halfway Salomon and Contract are equally stoked on the zero-camber boards in their between our revolutionary Banana tech and C2 Power Banana,” according to lines. All these boards sit flush on top a level surface and distribute pressure in Lib’s Pete Saari. Burton will continue using their Flying V hybrid throughout the a neutral way to create a catch-free ride. “They're stable and predictable,” thinks range. DC release their new Lock and Load hybrid profile, with camber between

www.boardsportsource.com 23 snowboard trends

the feet and floating contact points out at tip and tail. Nitro build on the success of their well-received Gullwing camber from 2010/11, and Rome, Burton, Salomon and Jones combine nose rocker with camber out back to improve float and performance on their freeride and pow models.

When you mess with camber, you sacrifice edge-hold. That's where everyone agrees. And different companies address that in different ways. Says Arbor president Bob Carlson; “We… perfected the true-rocker design with a parabolic arc, a shape that allows us to gradually reduce the amount of rocker toward tip and tail. The outside contact points are close enough to the snow to re-engage when maximum edge control is needed. We added critical edge contact through a unique sidecut design we call Grip Tech, which creates four additional contact points under foot.” Similar funky edges can also be found at Jones and Smokin', who both extend their Magne-Traction licenses, and Salomon mix their three- straight-line Equaliser sidecut with their rocker boards to create – you guessed it – Rocqualiser. photo: Burton HELPING CUSTOMERS BUY RIGHT “We now have over 50 camber types on the market, so it's easy to see how customers would be confused,” says Blue Montgomery, Brand Manager at Capita. And confused they are. Ultimately it's our job as retailers to guide customers through this tricky minefield, but we're getting some help from the brands here too. Volkl and K2 have given their different types of rocker pretty self-explaining names, and Apo and Flow give pictures on their flysheets to explain how it works. That's not enough though; clearly, it's chat time, and it'll be important to listen to exactly what customers are after. Says Rome's Mark Sullivan; “It's an opportunity for shops to understand the needs of their customers, and that can really add value to core shops who really understand the products that they are selling.” We agree, and dread the day that we see a supermarket sales assistant trying to explain the benefits of hybrid camber over reverse.

KEY NEW MODELS Not quite as many new models this season; this seems to be a low investment year where brands are attempting to narrow their range; that said there's a smattering of new stuff to get excited about. Salomon reveal the Powdersnake, described as “the skate kids' pow board” with a long nose kick and twin shape of the Sick Stick; there's also a new girls’ twintip rocker called the Oh Yeah! Exciting changes at Burton also, look out for the Mr Nice Guy, Monkeywrench, This seems to be a low investment Barracuda, Fishcuit, Honcho and women's entry-level Genie. K2 step up with a new team board called Happyhour with a unique new nose & tail shape and year where brands are attempting a top-of-the-range women's board called the Wolfpack. They also switch out the high-end Zero with the Protohype. Nitro's Misfit becomes the backcountry- to narrow their range; that said; freestyle Thief; with a new shape, and Never Summer have a yet-to-be-named all-mountain freestyle twin with their Carbonium topsheet. there's a smattering of new stuff to

Continuing with their theme of diametrically-opposed freestyle models, get excited about. Automaton release the Extra Dangerous and the Endangered. Lib push things further with the launch of the La Nina, Matt Cummins’ all-mountain directional board with Banana up front and C2 in the rear, whilst their asymmetrical cousins TIME UP at Gnu bring out the magnesium-fibre-cored Impossible series. Academy It's as much a sign-of-the-times to look at which models are being retired than replaces the Team with what they claim to be the first ever pro-model between the new, shiny stuff. Here's a look at some of the things that are disappearing – two brothers – the Bromodel (groan). Rome shake their freestyle offering perhaps better to avoid these areas in the 2011/12 board buy. Arbor are removing around, simplifying their line and adding the Mod Rocker, Reverb, Reverb Rocker, the Nightrain (transition orientated camber board) and Abacus (tapered, Artifact Rocker Wide and Factory Rocker. Imperium go back to basics, dropping cambered pow board). “Why buy a powder specific design when you can get the whole Roman History thing and reinventing their boards as the Classic one of our System models that rides better in the deep snow while providing Series, Ice Panter Series, City Series, Artist Series and Montana Series. Amplid amazing all-round performance?” asks president Bob Carlson. Lib Tech agree have developed the HiDef with team rider Matti Kinnunen, which they claim is and pull their tapered Snow Mullet series. At Rome, the Reverb has replaced “probably the lightest twin tip shred on earth.” Flow drop an all-mountain rocker the Graft and the Machine has become the Artifact Rocker Wide. K2’s iconic called the Drifter and soft freestyle hybrid camber board called the Shifty, and Darkstar shuts down after more than 10 years, becoming a more all-mountain Head roll out their KERS (yes, from Formula One) into six different boards over setback twin with flatline, called the Lifelike. They also unveil the Anagram, the line. Stepchild roll out the FTW Twin, a reverse-camber all-mountain ripper an entry-level true twin similar to last year's WWW, which has moved on in with bamboo core, and DC expand their range with the addition of the PLY, a construction. Burton also wave the handkerchief at some heavy hitters; the T7, skate-shaped all-mountain directional twin. We see the launch of Goodboards, a Supermodel, Malolo, Deuce and Love are no more. “We are moving away from new German premium brand promising very limited production and all-locally- huge sizes, like the Supermodel 72. Biggest size is a 69 Custom and Barracuda,” sourced materials. Jeremy Jones adds new sizes across all models, particularly says their European Sales Director Olav Nietzer. Head unshoulder the Holster the Hovercraft, and finally, old-school shaper Serge Dupraz releases a new and Never Summer lose the Circuit. Finally, Contract retire the 3D Swell Ladies', model of the classic Dupraz D1 in a 5'2”. citing lack of demand for a boardercross-focussed women's board.

24. www.boardsportsource.com snowboard trends

Once considered snowboarding's nerdy elder brother, a bunch of new splits explode onto the scene, combining up-to-date shapes with smaller sizes and funky graphics.

SPLITBOARDING BECOMES COOLER Once considered snowboarding's nerdy elder brother, a bunch of new splits are exploding onto the scene, combining up-to-date shapes with smaller sizes and funky graphics. After all, with a big nose rocker, there's no need to lug that 172 up the Haute Route anymore. Rome's White Room comes in 158 & 162, and K2's Panoramic goes from 154 to 168. Over at Jones, they're building on their reputation gained from their 2010/11 split success, adding split versions of the Mountain Twin and Hovercraft. Lib Tech are claiming the lightest splitboards out there with the Travis Rice C2 Horse Power splits, with Magne-Traction and C2 Power Banana. Burton's Freebird, with two-year shelf life, carries over unchanged.

GRAPHICS It's the board salesman's eternal dilemma – a customer picks out an unsuitable board because he loves the graphics. To sell it anyway or to suggest an alternative? Hopefully that'll be less of an issue next year as brands continue developing sick-looking tops and bases at all price levels.

Overall, it seems graphics are becoming simpler and cleaner. Spiky French twintips Furlan have Apple-like full-colour blocks and logos, and Amplid use vectors – with not a sniff of neon. That said, Imperium and Flow gangster up and use tattoo art – not a new thing, but one we haven't seen for a while in snowboarding. Rome use a traditional aesthetic, lots of black and white collage imagery, but with bold colours and typography, and Jones continue their extra- natural, organic theme with nothing over the top or too vapid. World Industries play safe too, showcasing their classic World characters on their boards. Expect classic Mervin styling from Lib Tech & Gnu, Mike Parillo on the Trice, Karpinski on Gnu and Matt French on the Skate Banana. Automaton's theme is Danger Danger, whilst Capita draw inspiration from “speed metal, weight lifting, puberty and the pursuit of awesomeness.”

As ever, artist collaborations are de rigeur everywhere. Nitro hire Dennis McNett to do their Pro Series, K2 work with Don Pendleton again and Jenny Jones pulls in British artist Lucy McLauchlan to make the subtle, monochrome topsheet on her Salomon Lily. “I just let Lucy do her thing; her artwork has always given me a soulful feeling,” says the X Games winner. And with a pleasant buy-local vibe, Signal hire artists from near their Huntington Beach, California factory.

DEALER SUPPORT © APO Amevet photo Y. (Austria), Diedamskopf Ducourtil, Valérian Without getting all teary, it's true that times aren't the best for the independent retailer. Things are getting better, but we've all felt that seethe of anger as the guy you spent an hour with last week drops his new internet-purchased deck in for detuning. Brands are on our side, thankfully. We saw many trying to project accurate sales figures, to limit production; whilst it might see the hot thing selling out fast, it helps to avoid big closeouts and a splurge of discount product flooding the market mid-season. Lib Tech; for example, build to satisfy pre-orders and no more. The amount of brands using Shopatron is also growing, with Volkl, Signal, THE HOT LIST Flow, Amplid and Never Summer all using the online middleman to direct sales from their websites to local retailers. Rockers spawn hybrid variations CONCLUSION Customers remain bewildered There's plenty of stuff to get excited about, then. Lots of advancements, and fewer freeride models, perhaps a reflection of customers moving away from building Camber is alive and popping a quiver, and looking to use their jib board everywhere. It's unlikely we've seen the end of the rocker development thing, and the dust has yet to settle on which Splitboards are cool again variation is the best. Count on brands doing their best to educate consumers on the difference before they walk through the doors and help ease the confusion Neon is out that is sure to take place on the shop floor. I wonder which manufacturer will have the Picasso collab next year?

Tom Wilson-North is a freelance journalist and buyer at Zero G, Chamonix.

26. www.boardsportsource.com feast your eyes on this!

8 pages of next year's boards starts here

academy

continue...

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amplid apo arbor

artec atomic automaton

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bataleon Burton Capita contract DC

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endeavor flow forum furlan HEAD icon

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imperium jones K2 never libtech M3 summer

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nidecker Nitro omatic palmer radical RIDE

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rome rossignol SALOMoN santa smoking cruz signal boards

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stepchild technine volkl

world weekend industries yes

the end

42. www.boardsportsource.com industry insight Pric€ Point The Inevitable Increase? While rumours persist about the ever-increasing prices of merchandise coming out of the Far East, it was time to lead our own investigation into the situation. With orders for the 2012 Winter being processed, if not completed, we wanted to find out what impact these fluctuations would have on prices for consumers. By Remi Forsans.

In an uncertain world, one thing is certain; the age of low cost manufacturing workforce. “The availability of technical coated fabrics is minimal due to the in Asia is about to hit the wall. For textiles, as well as equipment, the end fact that import taxes on fabrics from Taiwan were wiped out from November consumer will have to revise their budget to meet the price increases of 2010, and Chinese producers immediately snapped up all available supplies! equipment. As we have already seen, this price increase is Labour costs are increasing, due to Chinese workers not wanting to work in already implicit in the 2011/12 campaign. our types of factories any more, they prefer IT-related jobs.”

To remain competitive, a certain number of manufacturers have been forced Warning signs are already being heeded this winter with numerous delivery to sacrifice their margins but in most cases this increase has been transferred delays creating further pressure. If these delays continue and the resulting in part, or in whole, to retailers. Obviously, someone, somewhere in the lack of production ensues, factories could be forced to close – a worse case supply chain can expect an unwanted phone call. China – now just about scenario for all. the only technical outerwear producer in the world - has seen increased production costs by 5-10% in some factories. Alongside this, the spike in As an immediate consequence, the minimum quantities produced of each cotton prices and the slow recovery of Western model will increase. Raw material cost increases economies means, if it comes, that phone call from and exchange rate fluctuations have had a severe your supplier may be even harder to listen to. In China... has seen impact on manufacturing tariffs. Finally, pressure other words, brands must now juggle maintaining exerted by local Chinese authorities to boost the a price point for their products with their business increased production recruitment of highly-qualified workers and the margins. continued expansion of the domestic Chinese market costs by 5-10% in will no doubt be catalysts to further price rises in Westbeach confirm that low-cost Asian producers the coming years. As Peter Dijkema of Brunotti have become a thing of the past. “We think that very some factories confirms, “We think that this will lead to a price rise cheap manufacturing in the Far East is over. So of around 20-30% for next season, and brands will meeting the expectations of customers will become also have to expect longer manufacturing delays. a (more) difficult task. Luckily Westbeach never tried to aim at the bottom of They will even have to probably think about new manufacturing locations the market and is therefore less affected by changes to consumer pricing.” other than China.” The situation at Airblaster is a similar one, “Overall, prices of manufacturing equipment have shot up but we are doing a great job of keeping our prices Some brands have already told their customers that they will have to cancel stable. However, retailers and consumers will have to be ready to accept the certain orders in cases where product quantities are insufficient. This will price increase in years to come.” also probably have a negative influence on the production of coming seasons’ sample collections. Increases in labour, oil and cotton costs are clearly the main reasons put forward to justify this rise in prices. No one is denying it. Things are changing The impact of these increases will undoubtedly have an extremely negative at the speed of light in the Far East and brand representatives are already effect on our economies and on our sport. With the cost of access to the sharpening their arguments that retailers will in turn have to present to their mountain also on the increase, snowboarding is at risk of slowly sinking into clients next winter. the ghetto of sports reserved for the rich. So what can we do? One possible solution is to begin producing in Europe again, which will re-industrialise our Hans van Breukelen, Commercial Director at Protest Boardwear, confirms industry; creating jobs and therefore buying power, thus allowing our sport the exalted cost of raw materials alongside the problem of a more ambitious to continue to grow... but in a more sustainable way.

www.boardsportsource.com 45 women's fashion pic: Nikita Answering the age-old question...

Over the last year, SOURCE has been hearing reports that women’s lifestyle clothing is becoming a thorn in the side of boardsport retailers, with weakening sell-through, thanks in part to the competition from high street brands such as H&M, Top Shop and Asos. Writer Cherry Martin goes behind the scenes to investigate, and asks what can be done to recoup market share.

With oil and production minimum increases in China making margins slimmer This was backed up when I decided to hit the streets and do my own research; by the day, the fashion world as a whole has been hit hard and is having to standing outside Zara in my home town of Bournemouth, UK, which just adapt. But in comparison to the men’s lifestyle ranges, sales and pre-orders happens to be opposite the large extreme sports store Freespirit, I quizzed in women’s clothing have dropped, and many retailers, feeling cautious about girls on their purchases. Half of the girls didn’t perform any action sports risking sell-through, are opting to dedicate their rail space to menswear whatsoever and therefore didn’t associate boardsports shops with any kind instead. Whilst the men’s segment does undoubtedly take the lion’s share of of lifestyle range. With the other half of the girls that do surf and skate in most brands’ turnovers, the women’s sector generally accounts for 20-40% the local area I found that their separate opinions all came to the same one of business at most of the big brands, and that’s a significant amount of conclusion, they want to be in fashion. Being en vogue came above brand business that needs to be retained, and ideally expanded on. loyalty and sometimes even price. Talking to them I found out that if they can find clothing that is in the style and trend of the moment, either a statement Women’s ranges have developed massively over the past 15 years. Starting piece or one that can be mixed and matched then they will spend money on it off as a few logo t-shirts they now cover every wardrobe eventuality from regardless of where it is from. dresses, underwear to handbags. Knowing what women want and how they buy is now essential to both brands and retailers. Martine Kortmann, Sales SHOP TALK and Marketing Manager at Protest said that their recent research showed So if women want more fashion why aren’t independent stores stocking that stocking specific ‘brands’ was important to drive people into the shops up on women’s lifestyle ranges? It’s simple: individual stores are finding but once inside women tended to lose their brand loyalty and shop in the it impossible to keep up with the cheaper and trend-orientated fashion following order of importance: 1) Attractive product 2) Attractive price and available in high street stores. Backed up by huge circulating magazines and 3) Attractive brand. the celebrity culture, coupled with the discounting and free-delivery, free- returns policy of websites like asos.com, makes high street shopping a very There is no doubt however that a plethora of financial pressures like the attractive option, even for the girls who are into the boardsports lifestyle. global crisis, VAT increases and increased student loans means young This is in contrast to the men’s offering, who are less affected by high street women are undoubtedly feeling more cautious about how they spend their mania, and tend to be much more brand loyal than their female counterparts. cash. When you factor in the need to take save for a snow and a surf holiday “Women are loyal as long as the brand and the retailers are serving their on top, its no surprise that something is going to feel the squeeze… So are needs, but quick to change if they aren't feeling the love,” comments Runar the prices just too high for the current financial climate? Josie Clyde, Volcom Omarsson, founder and general manager of Nikita. Girls Marketing Manager, stated that their market research showed that this wasn’t the case. “Our women’s target age demographic is 15-30, many of Magazines act as a halfway house between giving their public what they which will have disposable incomes for the first time and are choosing to want to hear and profiling the brands that are relevant to their chosen topics spend it on looking good.” and the core women’s media have noticed a very present change in women’s

www.boardsportsource.com 47 women's fashion

needs in the fashion industry. Coco and Cira, owners of 7th Sky Magazine Another area that the high street has yet to fully pick up and infiltrate is the have witnessed the change and feel passionately about the brands needs to ecological and fairtrade aspect. “High street labels are still very far away from react to the changes. “Women’s buying methods have evolved as their choices this way of thinking. Whereas boardsport brands can create a market for this have opened up to them. These days women want to express themselves with their image, their marketing power and values. They have everything with what they wear to show their personality but also want clothes that in their hands to make this change happen, and fast,” comments Cira and affect their own personal moods and make them feel empowered and sexy Coco from 7th Sky magazine. Organic and eco-friendly products always gain at the same time.” press but are often not as well styled - change this aspect and you have a marketable, fashion range that might even, depending on each country’s What the industry needs is to create fashion-orientated lines that are current taxation laws, gain lower taxation rates on an environmental incentive. with the main fashion world then readers can see that they don’t have to choose between the two. Volcom recognised this situation early and introduced a To instill confidence and help early sell-through, retailers need to know that two-part range, focusing on ‘core basic’ and ‘fashion forward’. However, if they are being backed up by a strong and female-specific PR, advertising, shops are scared to invest in the more fashion-led pieces because they are promotional and POS campaign; coupled of course, with social networking. nervous they won’t sell, and back off from buying the core everyday items as Equally important, shops need to consider the needs of their female customers. women are choosing to buy them from high street names, there equals less Is it a female-friendly environment, with attractive window displays, nice and less reason for women to venture into independent boardsport shops. So lighting, and good changing rooms with long mirrors? what can be done to turn the situation around? Offering franchised stores such as Roxy did deserves a high-five for the Everyone needs to go back to the basic questions of ‘who are we trying to move forward that they made with introducing the extreme sports fashion appeal and sell to and what do they want?’ Researching around your brand element to the high street. However not everyone has got the budget to and its potential audience is key, says Volcom’s Josie Clyde; “Tackling an open a store on the Champs Elysees, and presence in department stores or area as large as Europe means serious dedication as France’s climate, independents is equally important. Nikita have found success in stores like ethos, fashion needs and price will completely differ to that of Germany for Rockon in Dusseldorf or La Glisse in Grenoble. example.” Distributors need to be giving brands feedback from the shops about what sells and what is being refused in their territory, only then can For a growing company looking to introduce a girls range what is the best way the designers know what areas to focus on more. to go about doing it? Vince Pawley from Santa Cruz Europe, AXL Distribution said; “We are starting off small but with key pieces that demonstrate the STAY TRUE ethos of Santa Cruz but in up to the minute styles to ensure sales. It takes a Brands need to accept the fact that women can purchase a standard black lot of research and feedback from the distributors as to what women want as long sleeved top at a cheap price from H&M and scrap that design; there is no well as research from the design team to ensure that its right for us... time point trying to compete on something that is already being done fast, cheaply will tell but we feel confident.” and well. Find your brand’s identity and take pride in developing a range that stands out. Stay true to your offering and build your audience and social Shops also need to be confident in their own standing within the extreme sports networks in a way that shouts brand loyalty. It will come as no surprise culture. If the shop’s ethos is to provide their customers with the best quality that Roxy has become the first women’s brand to reach one million female of brands, then whatever they stock in store will be trusted. So what can we facebook fans, they identify with their audience and promote the personality say to stores, “If you stock girl’s clothing then you are part of a progressive and of both the brand and its followers hand in hand. ever changing fashion industry. It’s about being aware of today’s consumer and giving them what they want,” concludes Josie at Volcom.

48. www.boardsportsource.com "We have some Internet retail partners that sell boards online and hold price and margin so as not to compete with our retailers. We have no plans to change our focus on the specialty retail stores"

SOURCE: What makes your brands different in SOURCE: What has snowboarding to learn from uncensored... indy, music mag style. It seems the snowboard market? the growth of freeski? like we are headed that way. PS: We hand make and test all our boards in-house PS: Super baggy short pants and wearing four to at Mervin Manufacturing and have been building six oversized t-shirts look badass when coming SOURCE: What should the snowboard industry boards every day, for over 30 years. We are (still) into jumps backwards leading with your ass! do to ensure growth over the next decade? BIG WIG Interview a snowboard factory run by snowboarders. If PS: The sport should largely be able to take care we get an idea and want to test it, our tooling SOURCE: In your opinion, what are the main of itself. It’s fun and a good day stays with you and prototype system is set up so we can build problem snowboard retailers have to face? for life. We see lots of energy from kids pushing whatever we want within a day and be riding it. PS: From my US perspective the biggest problem what it is possible to do on a snowboard. The is always the weather... Retailers do well when joy of these sports is riding with your friends, SOURCE: The environment is now a crucial the snow falls. learning new tricks or doing new lines or maybe Pete story for the future of our industry, what are old favourites on the right day. Snowboarding you doing to make your business greener? SOURCE: What are you doing to support the has a reputation for being a horrible first day PS: Gnu and Lib Tech have been environmentally retail network? experience, the more we can make the first day aware since long before most people cared about PS: We have always tried to offer innovative, fun for people, the more likely they are going Saari it. We used to go to trade shows in the 80’s and environmentally friendly, high performance to get into it and stay into it for longer. More 90’s and tell people about our ecologically farmed products that sell well for retailers. Our rep and smiles equals more growth. woods and low VOC resin systems and they distribution crew does everything it can to work Mervin would look at us like we were nuts and wasting with retailers from creating demand energy to SOURCE: How do you work on expanding the our time with bullshit. We work at Mervin every helping sell board on the shop floor. kids business? Mfg day and always wanted a clean healthy working PS: Again rocker technology. Banana tech is environment for ourselves, as well as the crew SOURCE: What is your view on the online easier to ride and easy to progress on. Kids (Lib Tech / Gnu) of friends who help out working and riding at the market? What is your next step when it comes on Banana tech have a better first time and a factory. One of things I am most proud of is our to the Internet? better time overall. They learn faster and spend recycling program. We recycle all our scrap base PS: We have sold our boards to specialty retailers more time on the hill and less time in the lodge material; our wood core scrap; tape and much and that is our primary focus for decades. We drinking hot chocolate. more. We have dramatically reduced the amount have some Internet retail partners that sell of waste the factory produces over the past few boards online and hold price and margin so as SOURCE: What would you recommend to a years. We don't use toxic automotive lacquers not to compete with our retailers. We have no young entrepreneur who wants to get into or silkscreen inks to decorate our boards. We plans to change our focus on the specialty retail boardsports? apply all our graphics using water-based inks - stores. With our websites we are generating Well I would recommend that you be naive no toxic gloss - which allows us to recycle base more and more of our own content to keep enough to actually think you can pull it off and materials that other companies can't because things fun. We manage all our own websites in- then dumb enough to work really, really hard and as soon as you screen print a base with epoxy house. intelligent enough to steer your way around the inks you can't recycle the scraps... basically we big pitfalls - if it looks too good to be true, then live at our factory and we are constantly making SOURCE: How do you support snowboard it probably is. A good basic business premise improvements to our systems. competitions such as TTR, X Games, OG, FIS, is, bring in one more dollar or euro than you etc. and the image of boardsports? spend every day and you are on the right track. SOURCE: How have you contributed to the PS: We have riders in these major events. The You had better love boardsports because the boardsport industry? big events look to mainstream brands like the real joy that you can count on is the friends you PS: We make great boards and have offered energy drinks; food products, video games, make and the riding you get to do (and beware Since its inception no single snowboard company has quite embodied SOURCE: How do you see your board brands innovations that make boards work better electronics companies and the like to sponsor sometimes the riding suffers a bit when you position compared to your competitors in the and easier for all levels of riders, our Magne- their events. As a board sponsor we cannot make it a job) ha! Have fun. the boardroom/backyard shed concept beloved of snowboarding European snowboard market? Traction serrated edges and the Banana Tech match the support they can offer. We sponsor PS: Both Lib Tech and Gnu are high-end, high- rocker system, for example. All our designs are the Mt Baker Banked Slalom and also do lots SOURCE: What decision have you taken for folklore like Mervin Manufacturing has. Founded in 1977 by Mike performance snowboard brands with different based on the simple and obvious concept that a of regional events that keep things fun, loose your brands of which you are the most proud? personalities. Both brands are hand-made at snowboard is not a ski. With a snowboard you and inclusive. Anyone can enter and there’s PS: Well, we have tried to be what you Olsen and Pete Saari, Mervin, through their iconic brands, Lib Tech Mervin Manufacturing. Lib Tech built the first have two pressure points inputting control into more of a skate session type experience - the would dream a snowboard company is really production cap boards and then innovated with your board. Our goal is to make snowboarding rippers are ripping but everybody gets a lick at supposed to be: Environmentally conscious, and Gnu, has been responsible for major advances in board design Magne-Traction serrated edges; Banana rocker more fun for all, from the highest performance it - the Holy Oly at Summit Snoqualmie is one high-performance, innovative, handmade by technology and C2 and EC2 camber rocker pro-rider like Travis through to someone on example. snowboarders who ride and care about what and technical development in both backcountry and freestyle combination geometries. Travis Rice and many their first day’s riding. If their first experience is they are building, fun, real and creative. We other riders help our experimental division test good they are more likely to continue and enjoy SOURCE: How do you think the boardsports have been pretty happy with Banana Tech and arenas. All this, as well as fostering a legendary rider-led approach new ideas and design concepts. Today both snowboarding. Less scorpions... more fun. media will change over the next few years? Magne-Traction... They have changed the path brands are built in our environmentally friendly PS: More and more web based media. Print of snowboarding over the past five years. alongside some insane graphics and artwork. They have, as one old factory in the USA. Gnu boards are slightly lower SOURCE: What’s your take on the freeski market media will be more long-term coffee table style. Boards work better and snowboarding is more priced but both are high performance freestyle compared to the snowboard one? I am fan of the four-to-six issues a year model fun for all levels. This year every brand has lots Mervin ad(age) famously stated, ‘forgotten more things than most and freeride brands. Gnu has a freestyle crew PS: We make handmade Narrow Ass Snowboards for surf, skate, snowboard mags and make all of rocker and very little camber in their lines. led by two-time Olympic pipe silver medalist for freeskiers. We think both snowboarding and the content stand the test of time. The websites Banana Tech started all that... Ride a Banana! people ever know’. Remi Forsans talked to Mervin co-founder and Danny Kass; a women’s division led by Barrett are fun and have many freeskiing friends from these same publications can pick up all Christy and a freeride line designed by four- who love to NAS. (However), most of our crew the little things and the news, crap, etc. Then VP of Marketing, Pete Saari. time Mt. Baker Banked Slalom , Temple really enjoy snowboarding, skateboarding and more micro zine style mini-mags with self- Cummins. surfing – the ‘sideways’ activities! generated energy that are fun and completely

50. www.boardsportsource.com www.boardsportsource.com 51 market analysis

Pause for a moment if you will, and consider how the recent run of political and economic events in Europe has impacted upon the distribution of skate hardware in Eastern Europe... By Nial Neeson.

photo: Etnies

Since 1989 and the fall of the Iron Curtain, own tale of distributor beef - very often over who sponsors the country’s skateboarding has seen exponential growth right across the region. As a tastemakers. cypher of economic times, it is a telling portent - evidence of a generation who want the same free time leisure pursuits as they have seen beamed This in itself has been a hitherto unspoken and becomes a third overlap in via satellite TV, disposable income on the rise and a deregulation of which has held back many Eastern Bloc skate scenes as rival distributors public life. Eastern Europe, in other words, was becoming much like fixate on the actions of their former skate bro’s rather than working anywhere else. In Prague, the Mystic Cup event was a perennial sell out, together to lift the profile of skating in their region. A rising tide lifts all always well over capacity and drawing pro skaters from as far away as boats; and nobody is going to come along and do it for them. Brazil with marquees sponsored by the biggest global brands. The Mystic So back to the Mystic Cup in Prague: a few years ago the event was Cup always seemed to me to represent a big area of future growth for cancelled, some sighting council restrictions, but more tellingly others hardgoods companies - as the big markets in Western Europe reached asserted that a major brand had got cold feet due to economic rumblings saturation point, with powerful distribution blocks able to supply any kid in the US, and suddenly the biggest cultural juggernaut in skateboarding anywhere with whatever they could afford, there were two regions where in the East was at a standstill. In retrospect, it seems likely to have been everything was to play for in a new hardgoods Klondike: Eastern Europe an omen. and Russia. Given that Eastern Europe was in the years 1989-2008 something of The Russian odyssey is an issue in itself so for now suffice to say that an un-measurable quantity for hardgoods, how many brands could it it has overtaken Germany in some brands’ league table of sales despite support? Many board companies threw product at it to try and gauge the some decidedly opaque business practices. Eastern Europe, however, had depth. Bedroom distributors were encouraged to take as much product as all the problems of Western Europe in the 1980’s - scenes in their infancy, possible on generous credit terms with promises of marketing support hesitant buying patterns, price as be-all and end-all, and distributors who which often never transpired (the number of board brands who have were learning their trade as they went. Where Eastern Europe was strong, thrown demo’s in Eastern Europe in that period runs to perhaps five). however, was the fact that you had to understand the business landscape When you add to that mix the fact that print media does or did exist there in which you were operating, and therefore almost all distributors now then it is clear to see that brand development can be a long and arduous come from a skating background. In fact if you do some digging you very process. Naturally the advent of the internet with its low overheads and often find that business rivals in any given country were very often part easy sustainability has changed the media landscape there forever. of the same skate crew way back when. Someone gets a distribution gig, someone gets another, and a competitive business environment is So given the slow pace of emergence for the economies, the limited media born. However, with a limited customer pool and economies hobbled by and comparatively small skate scenes (there are reckoned to be fewer corruption and waste, these relationships have at times turned fractious than one thousand ‘core’ skaters in China right now, by way of example), as in traditional Slavic style, business inevitably becomes personal. Every hardgoods distribution is Eastern Europe is always run on wafer- country in Eastern Europe I have skated in during the last 20 years had its thin margins with little in terms of floating capital. In such situations,

www.boardsportsource.com 53 market analysis

cashflow can hit a distributor like a heart attack. A couple of shops go under holding stock, or a friend’s uninsured skateshop gets robbed, and suddenly you are in a world of problems. With no capital to re-invest, and the prospect of a thousand kilometre round trip to pick up a few hundred Euros of outstanding debt, such glamour as there is in skateboarding surely must evaporate. And all this before the credit crunch hit.

So given the challenges facing suppliers into these troubled regions, who would choose to risk it all for the love of the game? We went to meet one organisation who have used the crisis to reach out to the competition with a novel idea to help all of their businesses. I set off to up and coming skate destination Bulgaria to ask Alex Kyourkiev of Sandomax Distribution what challenges are particular to hardgoods distribution in Eastern Europe and if shared experience might lead to shared solutions.

SOURCE: How big a problem are blank boards to SOURCE: What could the board companies and SOURCE: How have you adapted your business your marketplace? manufacturers understand about your unique model to this challenging environment? AK: Blank boards are a problem, as they take the circumstances that would help you to help them? AK: We had to look creatively at the problem of idea of a brand and company away from the kids. AK: Help with the marketing budgets is always cash flow, poor selling deck runs, the advent of Blank boards make quick cash and give nothing welcome. Advertising is important, setting up online shopping, and the need to avoid ‘clearance in return. They do not generate any trickle down flow teams, sponsoring events and skaters is a sale’ grey-markets becoming established here. effect for the culture. For example, through event necessary part of the process. For us to import We decided to establish a new platform that gives management and marketing on behalf of people or distribute means we have to come up with the us the chance to move stock not only from the like Popwar and Alai, Sandomax have been able cash if we want the goods. If we get help with brands we distribute but for the use of any other put Bulgaria on the world map of skateboarding. direct marketing budgets it is very useful and will distributor or shop, too. Cleckshop.com a year ago Since 2002 we have organised dozens of events, definitely speed the process up. Prices - back as an open portal for all businesses to alleviate sponsor a big team and provide quality product for in the day we use to get ‘preferential’ prices for cash flow problems by moving remaindered stock. the best price margins. Eastern Europe because we were treated as a The model works on the concept of ‘drop shipping’ poor country. Now we are in Europe and part of and works like this: Cleckshop keeps a ‘floating SOURCE: A shop goes out of business while the big family but the standard of living is still inventory’ submitted to us in jpeg format from any holding your stock - what happens? comparatively low. The price for a set up is still shops without a website or distributors who want AK: If the shop has already paid for the stock then half of an average monthly wage. Bring back the to clear ‘end-of-line’ stock without undercutting this is at least something. What happens in these Eastern European price points! their clients. The prices are set at rates which do difficult financial times is that the only way for us not undercut retail and orders go direct to the shop to move stock is to give ‘installment’ options to SOURCE: Does hardwood brands doing demos or distributor who holds the stock the same day. shops. The problem comes when shops sell the demonstrably improve the brand's popularity? Products which are distributed in neighbouring stock and don’t pay straight away, rob Peter to pay AK: Definitely. We do demos and tours every year countries are invisible to viewers there, we were Paul... the shop goes down, we can’t get our money on behalf of any brand who approach us whether extremely careful on this matter at the programming and we cannot collect stock either. we distribute them or not, the result is always an stage. The administration fee we take for using the immediate increase in sales. office to co-ordinate the orders goes directly into SOURCE: Your networks often started as old funding SkateBG, an independent, multi-platform friendships with people you used to skate with. SOURCE: What has the financial crisis done to the skate media project which unifies the scene and Does this make doing business easier or harder? economic landscape of your emerging economy? pushes all brands with no hidden agendas. What is AK: In a small country like Bulgaria most skate AK: It has created artificial hype. It has stopped good for the skate scene here is good for everyone shops are run by old skate friends. When business many big companies from spending marketing involved; and grey markets are in none of our flows it’s amazing and everybody is happy. When money. This in turn means that it is harder to interests. the hard times hit the problems start and you put secure secondary sponsorship money from the long time friendships on the line over money, big corporations. That means less units, less sometimes not even that much money. As it stands advertisement revenue, less videos, slower media for more info check: right now, Sandomax Distribution is owed a large response. It’s not that the kids drink less coke or sum of money from a longstanding franchise of talk less on their mobile phones, but who wants www.sandomaxdist.com shops who we have been working with for over to go and see a Coca Cola demo? The crisis has eight years. For that reason we have had to freeze hit a lot of big distributors who were relying on www.skatebg.com their accounts and go black on stock supply even the big names they have distributed for over 10 though the kids are demanding it. We spend every years. The cash flow has slowed them down and www.cleckshop.com day making phone calls, chasing invoices and a the big names have been pulling back or changing lot of dealing with a lot of empty promises from partnerships. former good friends!

54. www.boardsportsource.com goggles 11/12 the pictoral

Adidas eyewear airblaster

anon arnette

Ashbury Brunotti

cp Dragon

giro Electric goggles pictoral

imperium i.s. eyewear

Libtech oakley

o'neill quiksilver

rip curl roxy

smith spy

von zipper zimtstern 2011 wetsuit market trends Despite the economic turbulence of recent seasons the wetsuit market has emerged stronger than ever. With countless technical advances coupled with a streamlined aesthetic - often driven by ecological concerns - manufacturers are striving ever harder for the chance to place their wares in your stores. And so they should! Denis Houillé probes further.

TRUE ECOLOGY One way around this is re-cycling, something that Meanwhile at Matuse functionality outweighs style There’s no doubt about it, the trend for durability O’Neill have pioneered with their RG8 project. By with their athletic design available only in black! is tangible throughout, from raw materials using leftover and previously used neoprene they And as their founder and CEO, John V Campbell, right through to packaging and manufacturing estimate to have refined thousands of pounds of rejoices, “If the suit has a pleasing look, it is due to processes. As Mark Brown from C- explains, scrap product, which can then be incorporated a feature that (also) improves its functionality.” “Eco-friendly and recycled materials have finally into the manufacturing process. Allen Johnson also confirms a similar thought reached a point where we can start promoting the process at Hurley, “We've put a lot into fact in our wetsuits.” STYLE understanding compression and expansion areas Packaging is another domain that manufacturers This year the minimalist style reigns supreme. throughout the body resulting in panels that have been working hard on, reducing the amount of Stitching systems have been simplified; logos facilitate natural movement.” plastic and cardboard used for deliveries and recycling cardboard packaging to be TECHNO (& PURE) LOGIC used for other means. Some, like John Even though the Earth’s limestone If a part of the suit attracts you, if a Westlake at AlderSports, even believe detail intrigues you, it’s because there that “plastic from recycled bottles will reserves are greater than that of oil, is a real function... Thermal properties soon be used by everyone.” of wetsuits are continually advancing At present, most wetsuits are made 3000 years as opposed to 100, it remains thanks to active components such as of neoprene made from limestone and bamboo fibre and aero-core liners, not petroleum. Three years ago, brands a precious, non-renewable resource. which serve to keep the water away such as Patagonia and Matuse initiated from your skin. These intelligent this concept and the majority of materials have three advantages: manufacturers have since followed suit, adapting remain very simple, and suits have often no more lightness; heat retention and durability. their manufacturing accordingly. than two colourways. The cut follows the same But first, let us backtrack to those oft-controversial But Mark Brown of C-Skins also sounds a warning philosophy, Billabong have even brought out the advantages of a limestone-based neoprene. If you bell, “Over the last few years, we have seen (some) Xero ‘with zero seams’, a model entirely glued are able to consider the production process as not brands advertise materials that, in reality, are no with ‘Power seams’. too detrimental to the environment, the advantages better for the environment.” Here he is referring This allows the technical side of the product to are still strong: to limestone-based neoprene and to polypro shine through, as Jake Setnika of Patagonia • Stretching properties of 480% (human skin bamboo; two materials that cause as much harm Wetsuits declares, “we were able to produce a being around 60-70%). to the environment as nylon or petroleum-based clean look that stands out from the competition • 95% impermeable compared to 70% for neoprene. Even though the Earth’s limestone and makes our style… timeless.” An ethos summed petroleum-based neoprene. reserves are greater than that of oil, 3000 years up by Hervé Lacastaigneratte, Brand Manager of • Lightness and exceptional thermal insulation. as opposed to 100, it remains a precious, non- West Europe, “trends come and go, quality never • Hydroelectric production. renewable resource. goes out of fashion.” Another ‘invisible’ detail that Animal are working

www.boardsportsource.com 63 on is antibacterial and anti-odour liners. Even though neoprene itself contains nothing dangerous to your health when worn, resins used to glue panels can be a source of irritation. So these bamboo fibre liners incorporate a unique antibacterial element known as ‘Kun’. PRICE Although it may be too early to say how much prices will rise, manufacturers are preparing for it, as Dee Caldwell from O’Neill explains, “cost of staff, delivery charges and the materials” adding to “uncertainties about monetary fluctuations and increased sales taxes.” Billabong’s Francois Leits also highlights the seasonal fluctuations in play, “The impact on price is felt more strongly in summer as in winter we sell mainly to enthusiasts who won’t hesitate to spend money on a high-end wetsuit.” A price rise is also justified by Patagonia by the fact that their customers are now “ready to pay more for a quality wetsuit that will last a long time.” From AlderSports’ Geraint Williams though, comes this guarantee, “We will continue to offer retailers a comfortable margin on wholesale prices between €100 and €300.” In recent years, the wetsuit market has seen only a slight increase while the product itself has evolved greatly... with end consumers being the main beneficiaries, as Quiksilver’s JL Poupinel explains, “Just try to surf in a five- year-old wetsuit (sold for the same price as today) and believe me, you’ll feel the difference.” And as Animal’s Ben Cooper confirms, innovation must eventually come at a price, “In the future, it will be harder and harder for manufacturers to maintain current retail prices.” ARE YOU BEING SERVED? All good manufacturers understand that each retailer is different, and many are pulling out all the stops to ensure a successful relationship ensues. As Westlake from Aldersports neatly explains, “it’s a common agreement in which the retailer makes realistic orders in relation to their needs and we Nowadays, cyber-buyers are so well guarantee having the right amount of stock to avoid supply ruptures during the season.” West Surfing is of the opinion that “a true supplier/retailer informed and brands so accurate in partnership involves sharing the risks as well as the rewards.” Over the last three years we have also seen a significant increase in re- stocks. At Rip Curl for instance, where a cordial understanding is maintained their sizing, that buying a wetsuit with “the dedicated sales forces who know their retailers by heart” states Wilco Prins, adding that “the delivery of the wetsuit is a small link in the without first trying it on has chain; customer service remains key.” As always brands are doing their best to promote their goods in store, and become a possibility. it’s an on-going process for them. As Quiksilver confirm, “It’s really an interactive programme based on everyday exchanges.” West Surfing also talk about an “unprecedented commitment to local surf shops; those who have This can even lead to retailers advertising in a more diligent, professional ‘sand on their boards’ and who we grew up with.” manner in e-commerce, forcing manufacturers to maintain their levels of Matuse are also maintaining key relationships, “keeping tabs on which supply. retailers work the hardest to maintain a clean, organised environment with a Also, business systems put in place such as Shopatron or Moreboards, which great selection, merchandising and customer service.” have legitimately and geographically spread Internet sales out across sales Moving to direct distribution in five European countries, O’Neill has become points, show us that the phenomenon is not about to slow down anytime more active in the marketplace and this “offers the ‘gun’ shops direct access soon. to our Midhurst stock where we have just surpassed the 300,000 unit-per- However, no amount of high-tech sales patter will replace the expertise year mark for the first time!” so declares Dee Caldwell. and advice of a seasoned retailer. For potential purchasers of wetsuits, the Rip Curl’s Wilco Prins sums up the reality of the surf business and appeal of the surf shop remains strong. Testing, touching and comparing summarises that “technical goods, such as wetsuits and , are key products are still the reasons why customers are more likely to travel to an to the survival of core stores. It is the job of the brands to maintain a healthy actual store. And the new Patagonia boutique surf shop, set to open soon in balance, where discounts on wetsuits or surfboards are not needed.” San Sebastian, is certainly at risk of ‘physically’ attracting new customers. Lastly, as Rip Curl’s Wilco Prins stipulates, both online and in-store “natural BUYING WITHOUT TRYING? selection will take hold in the future and it will be the level of customer Nowadays, cyber-buyers are so well informed and brands so accurate in service that will make the difference.” their sizing that buying a wetsuit without first trying it on has become a To sum up then, we are faced with a market where winter rhymes with possibility. In a relatively short space of time, customers can see a product top-of-the-range and where detail rhymes with function. Customers now online and consult the opinions of users in a forum before proceeding with constantly demand innovation and each detail must have its role. Despite their purchase. the price pressure felt from the Far East, repercussions on price remain And with some retailers making more than half of their wetsuit sales online, negligible. the Internet is no longer seen purely as a means of getting rid of old stock Style and price are of less importance; functionality is what counts. If the at discount prices. Indeed, both manufacturers and retailers see potential product is expensive, it’s simply because it’s worth it. The customer is for growth through the Internet, as it brings the ability to open doors to the big winner! The first trip to the changing room should be enough to customers that their catchment area alone could never bring in. convince them.

64. www.boardsportsource.com

preview photos: 32, Eleven, Zimtstern photos: 32, Eleven,

PREVIEW 2011/12 If your client's gone crazy and kitted himself out with a new board, boots and binding combo, why let him stop there? This season's technical outerwear is a post-recession masterpiece; space-age fabrics, street and skate inspired pieces, earth tones and colour blocks... and minimum price hiking. In spite of everything, it's still all about value, even on the higher end stuff.Tom Wilson-North takes a preview peek at the 2011/12 Men's Outerwear collections.

STYLES & SILHOUETTES for their pieces. And it seems like today, pro snowboarders want to look Ask any industry bod what the hot look is and they'll answer immediately; it's like anything but pro snowboarders. They'd prefer to be fishermen, soldiers long jacket, slim pant. Long jackets great, but come on guys! Skinny pants or rednecks. Outerwear that doesn't look like outerwear is very, very in. don't sell. Fortunately, there's a ton of slim-not-skinny pants on the market. “More and more snowboarders like to wear what they feel comfortable in Enter Volcom's Modern Articulated Pant as a compromise. “This is for the on the streets,” says Zimtstern's Corinne Lammer, in support of the brand's rider who prefers a little more room than the skinny fit provides, but likes a 2011/12 Beat collection, which is “intensely inspired by the latest streetwear slimmer articulated shape. This fit features a slimmer leg with pre-articulation trends.” DC’s Global Outerwear Product Manager Marie Cambay agrees, “We built into the garment that conforms to the body's natural shape while riding, are focusing heavily on taking fabric and colour cues from skateboarding as well as a classic higher rise,” they say. Perhaps that's the future. “In our and streetwear. By adding technical features to these fabrics we are able to niche, people these days aren't wearing their fits much different than they are give riders the look they desire while still being functional for riding”. It’s the wearing their streetwear”, agrees Bond's Dan McNamara. same all over; expect to see heavy workwear influences at Holden, Billabong, Analog and Vans, Canadian lumberjack plaids at Westbeach, and camo pants On the flip side, guys with a baggier style are asking for more of a fitted baggy and M65 flight jackets at 32. rather than an oversized baggy fit. Baggy, not saggy, is what the riders want; leave the buy-two-sizes-too-big to the teenage freeski crowd. In jackets, we Fortunately though, not all team riders want to pantomime their outerwear, really like the bodywarmer-over-shell look, and Nike 6.0 have inherited the some preferring function over form. “Our line has been inspired by a trip contemporary classic two-piece Nike Snowboarding Vernon Jacket from last to South America, visiting Serge Vitelli in his refuge with the team riders”, year, with sweatshirt-style hood out back. explains François Latterrade, Head of Mountainwear at Quiksilver. “This inspirational trip drove all the creative processes of the range, from colours to TRENDS & INSPIRATIONS graphics, but also technical solutions that came from testing all of the products We don't pay outerwear designers to ride snowboards, so why pay riders to in the mountains”. The high-end market, where price is less important than design outerwear? Even so, lots of companies use their team as inspiration features, is buoyant, with Bonfire and O'Neill in particular making significant

www.boardsportsource.com 69 advances in these ranges. Sweet Protection offer a revamp to their Resolution line, introducing very competitively priced high performance (and of course longer length) Gore-tex jackets. Horsefeathers will use the space-age Japanese fabric Dermizak and Oakley finally release a Gore collection which they expect will have exceptional sell through. “This helps us to extend our premium offering," explains Oakley Apparel Manager Urs Egli. “Within this premium offering we strategically placed our price points to be as competitive as possible. This will make us a true retail partner at the premium level.” Rhythm Snow, now in their second year, add value to their high-end Ridge series and throw in a technical softshell at the same pricepoint. Quiksilver's techy Travis Rice Jacket is back, this year going 3CS Volcom noisy and featuring art from Mike Parillo – the same guy who does his Lib Tech boards – and Billabong launch their top-end Aved (Advanced Divison) line. Rip Curl complete the smorgasbord with the Ultimate Backcountry Jackets with tons of foul-weather performance coupled with enough comfort to look suitably unimpressed whilst spinning your frontside 900’s. In short, the performance market is back open for business, and it’s all happening here.

“People tend to revert back to classic in all

weird economic times, Alprausch Brunotti and that is the same with outerwear ” Brian Reichel, 32

Going back to inspirations, in an unexpected twist, we heard rumblings of back-to-the-nineties themes from some big names. The 90’s is a funny one, a lost-in-time period, for many a must-avoid, being too recent to adopt for the risk of appearing passé. But we're not talking about Fresh Prince colourways here (sorry). Things are looking good. We're seeing hip-hop style and colourblocking from Westbeach, and big 90’s influences on the Eleven Iry collection. Then there's Brunotti, who Burton Vans are excited about their camo print. “It's back from the nineties... and will be legendary again!” enthuses their PR Lonneke Mulder. A more subtle example of the last-decade throwback is the big logo trend. “Logos can be cool if you make them cool,” confirms 32's Brian Reichel. “More and more skate guys are wearing front chest logo pullover and zip hoodies. Cementing the trend, so-hip-it-hurts outerwear brand Horsefeathers, play the big-logo card on their jackets too. HOT SKUS The play-it-safe year has now been-and-gone, and brands are taking more risks and unleashing the juicy stuff again. Quiksilver go futurist with a heated jacket using technology borrowed from their Wetsuit Division. Whilst it won't get you Signal Rip Curl

www.boardsportsource.com 71 Billabong Bonfire Grenade

Icon L1 Oxbow “Our line has been inspired by a trip to South America, visiting Serge Vitelli in his refuge with the team riders. This insiprational trip drove all the creative process of the range ” François Latterrade, Quiksilver Head of Mountainwear

surfing snow like an arctic Kelly Slater, the Cypher they give it a specific vintage-style, used look, fabric that provides great fit and extra function Jacket will keep you toasty with the addition of and Animal launch a key new style in their Boyan because it's so much easier to move in.” Expect FAR infrared panels and a lightweight, impact- Jacket, which sits a little longer down the leg. to see textured fabrics from most big brands; lots resistant rechargable battery. Innovators Eleven Protest run with the long-fit jacket too; their long of heather at Fusalp, a durable dobby from Eleven, bring another first to market with their Random bomber jacket is a great-looking piece. Industry flannel and corduroy from DC and a yarn-dyed Jacket, which has unique colourblocking on every favourite Nike Snowboarding launch their just-as- woven from Canadian Olympic Snowboard Team single article. No two pieces are the same – let's long, military-inspired, Austin Smith-developed suppliers Ripzone, offering a cool soft surface hope your order will have the good ones in. The Everett Jacket. In fact, jackets are going longer texture with nearly-last-for-ever durability. French cool kids at Picture are no slouchers on from almost every brand, and a key silhouette for innovation either, releasing the Arpin Jacket, this 2011/12 will be throwing a skinny pant underneath Analog buck the trend and will be using tons of piece may as well be renamed the Arpin Wardrobe – something like 686's new five-pocket rock star new fabrics that we haven't really seen much for the amount of boxes it ticks, covering hoody, slim Plexus Rebel Softshell Trouser or anything before. Marketing guy Greg Poissonnier is glad light jacket and 20k shell all-in-one SKU. Vans up from Billabong’s new Straight fit would do the job we noticed. “Variety was our focus this season. their game with the 3L Orcus Jacket, delivering a nicely. Fabric usage was a very important initiative and three-layer membrane with plaid lining and fully- had to support and compliment each style. For our taped, durable Oxford canvas shell exterior, and FABRICS 2L tech style we offered a stretch mini-ripstop. O’Neill drop their Seb Toots Signature Jacket With the price of cotton skyrocketing, Our puffy came in a ridiculously soft nylon striated (mark II) with a shell that draws heavily from old- manufacturers are being forced to turn to fabric, cotton/nylon slub and a poly irregular school hoodies with a ribbed bottom and hood alternative materials. For 2011/12, expect to see herringbone for our classic riding silhouettes. laces. Last year this jacket was their top seller a big return to classics - ripstop, canvas, oxford, For our more street inspired pieces we ran an oil and a repeat performance is expected. faille, twill. Sound familiar? Chances are you coated poly and a laminated poly/nylon faux denim were rocking these tough weaves fifteen years with flannel lining”. Zimtstern score steeze points with their new ago. “These are the original five fabrics used for Homer Jacket by wax-coating the upper material of outdoor protection,” says Bonfire's Head Designer In addition to all that, look out for leather becoming the shell and applying a garment wash treatment, Shawn Foster. “We also feature a new stretch twill hot property next year. Icon Snowboards

72. www.boardsportsource.com Animal 686 Oakley

Forvert Special Blend Rhythm

Outerwear that doesn't look like outerwear is very, very in

rider Fredu Sirviö pioneers a collection called injected some pop and bright colour where we Heartbreak that screams thrift-store chic; faux could,” agrees Analog's Greg Poissonnier. DC leather jackets and pants feature heavily. Burton talk about athletic-inspired, rich jewel tones and have also tipped leather as a fabric to look out for fluorescents, and naturally, there will be tie-ins in 2011/12. to their ever-expanding boot and board offerings. There's lots of green from Fox, from bright acid COLOURS tones to military fatigue, and they'll still be using “Tones are becoming more subtle and earthy,” the electric blue which has proved such a success Nike 6.0 mulls Birgit Gruber of Burton, and everyone else over the last two years. “Colourblocking is still a agrees. L1 and Bonfire go for foundation colours; massive trend,” substantiates Rip Curl's Product leather brown, iron grey, sand tan. Santa Cruz use Manager Hugo Debrueres, which you’ll also see a palette of deep ink blues and smoky purples, at Volcom (naturally) in their Bright Lights tonal offset and complemented by military sand and collection. We can safely say that there will be bold grenadine. “People tend to revert back to plenty of balancing pop tones with earthy colours classic in weird economic times, and that is the next year. And like it or not, you've got to admire same with outerwear,” says 32's Brian Reichel. Zimtstern's guts for citing ‘80’s 2.0’ as a colour Here we're seeing urban and earth inspired, muted influence. “Everyone runs away from shrill neon, tones – more grown up colours. Perhaps this is we believe in the romantic dark and the natural a response to an ageing market? Perhaps this is light colours,” says a whimsical Corinne Lammer, what the well-off, thirty-something decade-riding as Tears for Fears fades in the background. snowboarder wants? Well, what about the kids? “Now the peak of craziness in colourways and PRINTS combinations has been reached, people are Since peaking and getting a little carried away with starting to look for selective, classic combinations themselves two years ago, prints have practically again,” says Eleven's Leandro Davies. “We died a death. “A bunch of kids are running around O'Neill

74. www.boardsportsource.com looking like a clown ate a bunch of mismatched candy and then barfed on their outerwear,” laments Airblaster's Jesse Grandkoski. Next year, the only prints you'll find will be inside linings, or subtle to the point of near-invisibility. Says Bond's Dan McNamara, “The all-over print is definitely getting a little tired and people are looking more for fabric stories and unique fabrications. The loud prints are fading away into the sunset”. There are still some prints out there, though; Billabong teamed up with Annecy-based Spacejunk artist Nicholas Thomas again to make their sublimated NT jacket which looks like a rusty trash wall and needs to be seen to be believed. And Grenade stayed true to their print roots, taking advantage of “improvements in digital printing technology that allow us special and high resolution prints,” to up their game, according to their guy Tomas Berntsson. FEATURES Every salesman knows about features and benefits Picture – point something out to the consumer, and wax Libtech lyrical about what it means to him and why his life won't be complete without it. 2011/12 collections are particularly strong in this department. There are see-through media pockets (Bonfire) and double waistbands (Oxbow). There are jackets that play music that comes from your phone (also Oxbow), special Aquaglide zips (Bench), BOA- gates on pants for rapid boot adjustment (Vans), new multicolour-waterproof-block-colour YYK VT9 zips (O’Neill), integrated face-protection masks (Volcom) and goggle-to-hood linkage systems (Oakley). But the thing that is guaranteed to sell a pair of pants is the hitch-it-up-at-the-heel thing (too many to list) that stops your client from encrusting his new bottoms with melted snow, salt and dog crap. In short, features sell. Just look at Analog's best-selling Asset Jacket. “Load your pricepoint outerwear with as many features as possible,” advises their marketing guy Greg Poissonnier. Signal's Daniel Thorden agrees, “We try not to go overboard with tech(nical fabrics) and just deliver the functions that you really need for snowboarding.” Sweet Airblaster ECO It’s important to remember to try to be eco- friendly in these environmentally trying times. After all, it’s easier to justify lugging your gear up to the mountain in your 3-litre Jeep if you can score green points on your outerwear buy. We saw lots of clear initiatives from practically everyone out there, but a couple of things really stood out. Zimtstern are producing a jacket called the Purist that was inspired by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill; no fossil fuels or chemical dyes were used in its production. Eleven’s Aim Jacket was entirely manafactured in Europe, thereby reducing transport costs and helping to preserve jobs here. And there are a plethora of programmes ensuring manafacturers don’t pump too many fumes out, like the Bonfire GIFT ‘Green Initiative For Tomorrow’ Project, the 32 TR32D Lightly (recycled-PET only) direction, the Volcom ‘Protect Our Winters’ collab and the Nike Snowboarding Considered Design ‘elevated sustainability’ standard. Bond stay very eco- Vans Protest

76. www.boardsportsource.com Bond Fox Fusalp

conscious too, everything they make is completely something really nice, and to keep the piece for made out of materials that are either recycled a couple of years? Holden and Airblaster agree, NOT COOL ANYMORE or are able to be recycled. Rip Curl’s Planet line buy a coat and keep it a long time. It all makes for Though it's important to order the fully-taped, continues to champion their responsibly created a very convincing up-sell argument to encourage faux-denim 20K/20K must-haves, spare a thought articles, and O’Neill’s Jeremy Jones Experience Mr Customer to part with a few more notes when for the black sheep of the outerwear families; line only offers recycled or organic backcountry buying his outerwear. the awkward ideas that somehow made it from products. brainstorm to reality. If you have any of these PRICEPOINTS languishing out back, better make room on the L1 score points using biodegradable polybags for We're seeing lots of companies working hard -75% rack. all their outerwear. “These bags will decompose to find ways of staying on price with plenty of after exposure to sunlight”, says their Outerwear features. Many have jiggled their entry-level So what might these outcasts be, we pondered? Wizard Meghan Martens, “Every single, individual pieces, with Eleven, Icon and Analog claiming “Super hairy, non functional, snow-grabbing garment is packaged in a polybag, which is usually new entry-level jackets. Nike 6.0 have maintained herringbone,” seethes Bonfire's Shawn. “Super just thrown away. So we thought that this is a pricepoints, whereas their goatee-d cousins at duper baggy pants, neon, knock-offs and fashion- GREAT way to reduce waste.” We salute them, and Nike Snowboarding “...have had to take some before-function.” “Random, loud all-over prints,” also give props to Holden, who have been doing prices up this season. It only affected a handful shudder the folks at Fox. The all-over prints thing this for years (in fact, Mikey Le Blanc once sent of styles. However, we're careful not to stray is something everybody agrees on, from Airblaster out a letter to every brand, encouraging them to too far from the realities of the market and the to Zimtstern. Neon also gets universal hate from do the same). consumer”. all corners, and if you're thinking of rocking a bandana under that sideways New Era this winter, On top of this, Picture go one step further and We'll hopefully not see too many price rises, as think again. “Gangsta steez?” asks 686's Kristin use recycled material in all their linings. Not melt- companies try their best to meet the needs of Cusic, “Oh... PUH-leez!” it-down, make-it-again, we're talking linings that cautious, post-recession buyers. Westbeach prices used to be clothes. “The main idea has been to remain static, though they admit it's becoming CONCLUSION find new ways to be more and more ecological,” increasingly difficult to to deliver features at the There's plenty of stuff out there, and it's all getting says Picture's Julien Durant. “The inside lining of same price points as last year. Furthermore, says interesting again. How you order is of course up all the collection is made with recovered fabrics Bonfire's Shawn Foster, “In general, consumers to you, but with decreasing minimums and greater from the outerwear industry; fabrics that would seem to want to pay less for snowboarding gear inter-brand competition, 2011/12 is something of a otherwise be burnt. Every jacket interior is unique than ski gear”. Must be the fact that we've got buyer's market. Pick and choose the best pieces and original.” more girls expecting us to buy them drinks at from the best brands. But remember, your clients après-ski, I expect. are looking further afield too. The streetwear- Alternately, why not convince a client to get as-outerwear trend will mean we're competing

O'Neill Quiksilver Horsefeathers

78. www.boardsportsource.com with high-street camping and workwear stores, which offer similar-looking pieces for way fewer notes; a good reason to make sure your staff are doing their homework at clinic time to extol the TRENDING NOW... technical virtues of these SKUs. - Earth tones with colour hits A secondary concern voiced by a few reps - Long jacket, slim (not skinny) pants this winter was that too many shops buy for themselves, not for their clients. “Many of us in - Workwear & military styles the industry wear minimal logos and basics”, says 32's Brian, “but the consumer who's spending - Feature-packed pieces their hard earned money on an outerwear piece wants people to know they bought the latest and greatest.” Review every piece from a clients' point of view when you're in the showroom.

Finally, let's remember, as snowboarding becomes more and more mainstream, people become less interested in drawing attention to themselves through their outerwear choice; they're more into staying warm and dry, in a piece that's just as good for dog- as snowboarding. So the earth tone thing – such a prominent trend - becomes a very good card to play in next year's order. “At the same time”, warns Eleven's Leandro Davies, “A very important group of individuals is looking more and more to stand out of the masses. So, perhaps you ought to go deep on those polka-dot fuschia trenchcoats after all.

Foursquare Bench

Santa Cruz Rusty Protest

DC Westbeach Nike Snowboarding

Tom Wilson-North is a freelance journalist and buyer at Zero G, Chamonix.

80. www.boardsportsource.com

preview photos: Zimtstern, Nikita, Billabong

PREVIEW 2011/12 ISPO 2011 is going to go down in history as the year that street fashion hits the slopes for women. Cherry Martin reports.

Rising manufacturing costs in China are forcing outerwear designers to think ‘Classic Decay.’ This theme is a story about the beauty of decay, the happy outside the box. As brands battle price production wars, shop space and side of darkness. We bring to this a lot of luxury fabrics and sophisticated jostle for eco-awareness, it’s fair to say that the girls’ outerwear market has graphics.’ had a shake-up for AW11/12. Although the issues facing the industry have made the business seem bleak at times, the good news is that the situation Illusions and emotions are rife in the design teams minds for 11/12 - Volcom’s has made brands pay more attention to their women’s lines than ever before range is based on the emotions you feel when or charging down the and designed a range to make both die-hard snowboarders and the holiday- slope and O’Neill’s designers are playing mind tricks with their range and making fashionistas ridiculously happy. their design team comments: “The main inspiration for this season is the edge between reality and illusion. Things are not always what they appear THEMES to be. You see this coming back in different ways in the collection: there Inspiration for 11/12 has come from all angles - the mountains, the brands is illusion translated to prints, for example we bring a technical fake fur own landscapes and beliefs and a real sense of emotion for the feeling you print coat, based on the big fur trend in fashion - it’s a light-hearted take on get when you ride. Streetwear fashion styles have been a major influence as this fashion trend. Then there’s technical fleeces made to look like trench well as military lines and retro, vintage shops and wares. It really is down coats, and flannel and denim-shirts that have been translated into technical to the woman to think what statement they want to make on the slopes and styles.” select the styles therein, because in 11/12 there is definitely something for every snow loving gal. Brands have paid attention to the buying trends of their consumers and noticed that consumers are using their outerwear for more than one sport. Nikita has put the emphasis on fun for 11/12 and taken their inspiration This coupled with the greater introduction of streetwear styling to the ranges from retro kids games for their ‘Welcome to the playground’ range, Heida means that consumers in 11/12 will be able to wear their outerwear on the Birgisdottir said: “I took the colours of toys and the absolute joy of playing slopes as well as around town later that night. Dual marketing for the brand with them. Thanks to Lego, Star Wars, Pez, Playmobile, Slinky, Barbapapa, worn will then be achieved so everybody wins. Matchbox Cars, dolls and dinosaurs for fuelling my imagination through the years and to snowboarding for continuing to do that outside of the house!” FIGURE FITS Working on the concept of opposites to give both types of their consumers Give your boyfriend his jacket and trousers back - the shift from saggy to a choice, Protest said: “Snowboarding is becoming more and more about skinny is here! A predominant trend for AW11/12 is streetwear, which has performance; bigger, higher, better. Our ‘Double cork this!’ range is a been translated in a figure-flattering way The trend for longer length style mood about that reflects a colourful, graphical story. Our second theme is jackets has intensified and you’ll see it in full force this winter - jackets

www.boardsportsource.com 85 have been seriously tailored and lengthened to follow the female form with the general rule of up to and between 2-4” longer which also keeps the wearer’s booty warmer. This is a style choice made by every outerwear brand for 11/12. We are seeing long, slim-line yet still fully functional jackets everywhere from Roxy to Westbeach and everything in between. There is not one single brand that has not developed a longer snow jacket for 11/12. Horsefeather’s design team summed it up when they said: “ There are basically three different silhouettes of jackets in our collection for 11/12. These are a regular styled medium long jacket, a slimmer, longer tailored jacket and a long parka tailored type. The female silhouette is being celebrated!” 686 Westbeach

The military theme is also still rife with brands such as Powder Room offering double breasted jackets with military button detailing. Billabong, Rip Curl and Vans to name a few, have embraced the military theme with longer, work wear detailed cuts as well as Holden with their peacoat style military option.

Give your boyfriend back his jacket and trousers - the shift from saggy to

skinny is here. Horsefeathers Nike 6.0

Battling a big booty? Never fear, Betty Rides have introduced a longer length jacket to save the day for ladies with a comfier sized behind, uncertain of what to call this new bootylicious jacket at time of print, we’ll be interested to hear the final verdict on the name!

Jackets have inspired a change with pants and now every single brand has introduced a range of fits in their pants including regular fit, slim fit and super skinny fit meaning that the consumer has never had so much choice when it comes to dressing her bottom half. Women have got a year to tone up and it will be interesting to hear feedback next season on the specific fit that women have gone for and how they’ve worn it - Kari Traa O'Neill tucking the super skinny pants into their boots or bringing more street fashion onto the slopes and riding with their socks over their pants...

But what about the not so skinny ladies that like to hide under the bagginess of their boyfriend’s jackets? Well fear not as Rip Curl and Zimtstern to name a few are still catering for the baggy crew. It should be noted that ‘saggy’ is off the radar and it’s a firmly intentional ‘baggy’ now which means that the fit at the waist or hips needs to be actual as opposed to pulled in with a belt. COLOURS & PRINTS Colours and prints have seen a tectonic plate shift in attitude. Gone are the wild, crazy and eye boggling prints of the last few years. If brands Roxy Santa Cruz

www.boardsportsource.com 87 Animal Bonfire Oakley

L1TA Bench Eleven

Icon has upped their selection of jackets under 200 euros and Eleven have introduced lower priced entry jackets as well

are doing prints then they’re doing it in a more them with snatches of colour pop such as it worked for them last year and they believe that defined and controlled manner. Prints for 11/12 are Animal’s mint detailing, Volcom’s galactic silver there’s still a market for it and to be fair they will simple to understand and reflect either the brand’s to aid their fantasy ride down the slope and Kari stand out from the general crowd. ethos of design or logo or follow a very specific Traa’s heritage of the Northern Lights have found theme. Nikita’s all-over print jackets are only their way to light up their jackets and pants. References to bright and deep reds as Oakley using two colours, Protest’s prints are following said, tend to be coming as requests from their their botanical gardens theme, Billabong are using In complete contrast to these darker tones, colour- team riders, but are still included in the range. oversized typography and Animal is only doing blocking has truly arrived. Positive attitudes one all-over print design which is being carried displayed in bright combinations of mustard FABRICS through its entire collection offering strong cross yellow, reds, purples, greens and blues have Perhaps in an answer to the increasing cost of merchandising options. Nike have abolished prints been mixed and clashed together. For example, cotton, AW11/12 is an exciting year for fabrics, altogether on the exterior and instead employed Nikita have taken their bestselling colour blocking and designers have embraced all of their textural the help of artist Olivia Bee to design the print for products from their streetwear and carried it over whims and fantasies. As the colourways are the linings instead. to the outerwear, again playing on the versatile simpler, the fabrics are richer, more varied, with nature of their jackets being used day and night. woven designs from textured herringbones to All of the brands have opted for earthy, deep or rich Airblaster have totally ridded themselves of all spray dyed flannels. For example, Brunotti have colourways and then played around with fabrics prints and gone 100% colour blocking with their vamped up their earthy tones with shiny jacquard to create visual effects. Eleven says; “After the range and also cleverly adding retro add-ons to silver yarns and metallic glitter fabrics, Billabong peak of craziness in colourways and combinations their range such as elbow and knee patches and have done the same and had some fun with dobby has been reached, people are starting to look for O’Neill talk of a bright-blue and hot-pink colour- slub sparkle to show a more glitzy side to the classic combinations again.” block in their line. main fabric. Stephane Denailleau, Communication Most of the brands such as Rip Curl, Kari Traa, Manager for Billabong said: “We have taken the Vans and Volcom have chosen to sport these When asked what was hot and what was not, one best from last season and added some brand earthy tones as part of their range and included word came up all but one time under ‘not’ and that new highly sophisticated fabrics, all boosted with browns, heather greys, military greens, dark word was neon. It appears that the ‘80s neon days cutting edge membranes and coatings. Women cherries and deep jewelled plums. are over... However, one brand who has refused get everything to look good and stay warm on the Animal, Volcom and Kari Traa have opted to break to believe this is Oxbow who’ve brought out neons slopes and also on the streets.” up some of these dark jackets by interspersing in their all-over prints and colour range because

88. www.boardsportsource.com Betty Rides Brunotti Fusalp

Roxy has chosen to make their premium range with 100% recycled polyester stretch fabric; “Because our Premium line is design for enthusiast consumers that spend a lot of their time up in the mountains, we feel this is an important story for them"

Taking inspiration from the vintage and second the slopes. In keeping wiht their mantra of offering hand trends of the high street, L1TA have used the best technologies with style, Rip Curl has also Kari Traa vintage washed fabrics, Billabong have utilized launched their GUM series for 11/12: fake fur for a more glamorous 1920s approach “In our constant quest of bringing the best and many of the brands have chosen denim technologies to our riders, we came up with the variations with Westbeach re-introducing a retro Gum Series; Stretch fabrics laminated on high 60’s corduroy. end membrane, brings the maximum of comfort whether riders are spinning a 900 or looking for Another popular trend to add some extra pop to their next powder line. For 11/12 the Gum Series the clothing range without being too over the top includes EX-2way stretch in 15000/10000, and has been plaid. Roxy have changed their prints to also the EX-4way stretch in 20000/20000.” plaids for 11/12 and to add even more cheerfulness to the occasion, Westbeach has embraced the In a bid to see street fashion out on the slopes custom yarn plaids in bright colours with Animal many brands have introduced denim prints or also introducing yarn dyed checks and Santa Cruz denims - Santa Cruz and Kari have launched new offering a subtle but classy cube pattern jacquard taped sealed denims for pants in 11/12, and Volcom weave. has gone all out with their limited edition Denim Snowboarding range which is snow and road- There is no better way to emphasize the colour tested stretch cotton denim with a waterproof blocking trend than by mixing up the fabrics on breathable laminate and DWR treatment. Nike Snowboarding the different blocks - 11/12 sees a whole host of variations, as Leila Jalili, outerwear designer for PRICE WARS 686 says; “We’ve got everything from cross hatch Every single brand without fail has had to make dobby slub, dyed plaid, new horizontal twist yarns tough decisions on pricing to keep prices down to cross dobby texture black slub yarns - to name and keep retailers’ happy in regards to their a few...” margins. Some brands have opted to absorb With fashion encouraging everything getting increased production costs, others have been skinnier, the garments still need to feel forced to pass the increase onto the consumer comfortable and still offer full manouverability meaning there are several schools of thought and for chicks riding, let alone trying to wear bum resulting outcomes. protector pads! Brands have rubbed their hands in glee at the challenge to mix fashion with true Batting for the ‘introduce more jackets across a functionality and they’ve gone for the stretch varied price bracket and keep prices the same’ option in fabric. Betty Rides has introduced a team sees Billabong, Oakley, Vans, Santa Cruz, four way stretch fabric on their pants, along with Bonfire, Zimstern, Roxy, Animal all following this Billabong, Volcom and Roxy (on their premium method. This has either been done by narrowing range) who have all introduced forms of stretch down the line and instead offering mix and match fabrics to ensure full versatility and movement on products that switch between the themes. Say Rip Oxbow

90. www.boardsportsource.com Curl, “The only increases we’ve added are an extra 10-20 euros for extra features on a jacket. Other than that our prices have stayed the same.” All of the brands are offering more jackets at entry level pricing but have still managed to maintain their mid and high tech ranges - Icon has upped their selection of jackets under 200 euros and Eleven have introduced lower priced entry jackets as well. Nikita have increased the size of their range after seeing strong sell through, but have ensured that their prices fall between 159-199 and 200- 249 to stay affordable.

Nike and Westbeach have both stated that where possible their prices will stay the same, however, both brands want to keep developing their tech and have honestly said that prices will have to rise to improve on the quality and innovations of their tech. Two other brands that are increasing their ranges and their prices are L1TA and Betty Rides, stating that the rises in production costs simply have to be reflected onto the consumer. Sweet Meanwhile Brunotti, Protest and Airblaster Alprausch have kept prices down for 11/12 with Airblaster commenting; “You get what you pay for and end- consumers need to be prepared for a price hike at some point.” IN SEARCH OF ‘ECO-KARMA’ AW11/12 sees a lot more recycled fabrics being used on the outside of the jackets and also in the lining. Protest have used eco-friendly ECOYA lining in their jackets and Picture have used recycled outerwear jackets for theirs, so the lining really has gone full circle. Billabong has used recycled polyester fabrics for their Anne- Flore jacket and Powder Room’s ‘Retro’ designs all feature recycled outershells. Roxy has chosen to make their premium range with 100% recycled polyester stretch fabric; “Because our Premium line is design for enthusiast consumers that spend a lot of their time up in the mountains, we feel this is an important story for them,” they wisely comment. Oakley are proud of their Eco Shell jacket within the Gretchen Bleiler range which uses recycled Nike 6.0 polyester from old outerwear products. They’ve worked out that production of 3000 jackets saves 84% energy, 72% CO2 emissions and 228 cedar tress in comparison to non-recycled fabrics.

Aside from recycling, the whole eco-theme has been blitzed - L1TA have reduced waste by using biodegradable polybags and Eleven have not only used recycled fibres in their Prima Loft Eco insulation, but they have chosen bamboo as a reliable yet renewable source and also believe that production in Europe also greatly reduces their carbon footprint.

Bamboo has made an appearance in a few brands for 11/12 with Nikita using it in their thermals stating that natural fibres work with the body better and Kari Traa back up this claim, adding that the washing of natural bamboo fibres means less toxins going into the water. Horsefeathers have chosen eco-friendly print colours and optimised transport by boat to reduce their carbon footprint. The 7Sky Green Room at ISPO will be a good Brunotti O'Neill

92. www.boardsportsource.com Protest Rusty DC

place to preview new eco innovations including goal for 11/12 was not to redefine but instead to who have included snow gaitors to cover your Rip Curl’s - 100% PET recycled fabrics across refine.” Taking what you’re good at and making it back when you fall as well as launching their EZ- their Rip Curl Planet label. even better is a sure fire way to keep consumers Trak sideways zipper. Also offering more ‘stack it’ happy and they’ve worked on refining their cuts, snow proof clothing is Westbeach who’ve included Eco-pioneers Holden have constructed their fabrics and fits for better execution when riding zips in their jackets to their pants. Ten more range using recycled fabrics with solvent free in 11/12. seconds to get dressed, but if it means staying laminations and Bluesign approved factories. warm and dry then everyone’s going to do it. Nike Snowboarding and 6.0 Snow have made a There’s always going to be some gadgetary to Fed up of fiddling around trying to adjust your concerted effort to ensure that their production supplement the outerwear - Roxy has taken boots with mittens going everywhere and snow process is sustainable and eco-friendly - all of their Cypher heating jacket from their surf range getting you cold? Invest in a pair of Vans pants the factories that Vans use are eco-compliant but, and implemented it into their snow wear - light with their new BOA Gate system - a snap closure like Animal, they have chosen to keep their eco batteries that last for a good few hours means on the pants provides easy access to your boots. products within their main clothing lines and not more supple muscles and warmth when riding With prices rising, consumers are going to be on outerwear. in extreme temperatures. Another wetsuit brand looking more closer than ever at what products using their world re-nowned technology from they’re going to be getting for their money. All of Volcom has brought out a small collection the water onto the slopes, 11/12 sees O’Neill these little extras add up and could well be the supporting POW - their Protect Our Winters line translating their thermal ergonomic insulation swaying reason of choice for their end buying supporting the eco message but as Picture states, system into their outerwear so you can keep decision. for any of the eco lines to be successful ‘the riding for longer. Genius. retailers need to be educated on the selling points Oxbow have developed their multimedia jacket OVERALL RESEARCH of ethical consumption so that everyone can ‘ride to enable you to bluetooth calls and wirelessly Whilst our reports from all of the brands show for the future.’ Let’s hope that now the design and stream music while you ride. Not recommended that parts of Europe are sustaining, eastern production has been done, the marketing and sales when you go over kickers although it could be European markets are growing well for many staff convey the message across to get retailers funny for the person on the other end of the line! people - cheaper riding costs means that more enthused on eco products. people are traveling there and requiring more Now we all know that little extras and detail really gear. Russia has seen a rise in sales as well as BREAKING BOUNDARIES show that the brands ride what they design and are parts of North America. Each brand has its own Despite the war on pricing and production it is listening to their consumers in trying to develop specific areas to move into or sustain success but good to see that the companies are still putting products that help to give the user a seamless the production price war in China means that the emphasis on developing their tech. Say Nike: “Our ride. On this note, raise your glasses to Eleven biggest challenge for the entire market is to stay

Volcom Nikita Trespass

94. www.boardsportsource.com on top of price levels without sacrificing quality. This will force people to either raise their prices or produce their ranges elsewhere. With so many brands fighting for floor space in shops, cost to retailers and end-consumers is going to be an even bigger hill to climb next season.

The eco stance of: ‘buy a jacket that will last longer’ might be good for the environment but it’s not good for retailers who need to make sales. Bonfire suggests that the way around this is, as always, to get more new people riding, they stated that the momentum of the Olympics was a reason for their rise in sales across women’s and children’s outerwear. Brands need to harness the marketing done for events and use it to raise Rip Curl Roxy impetus and sales.

Overall the 11/12 collections are more refined, precise, dual-functional and progressive than ever before. Brands have become more selective and defined their branding to offer consumers choice between the styles that reflect their moods, riding styles and main stream fashion which is such a positive leap forward, next season is going to rock. We’ll end this piece with a quote from one of our favourite women’s brands; “Remain individual and close to your brand ethos and hope that the consumer loves you enough to invest” – Nikita. Rock on.

Read the full brand responses

online at boardsportsource.com Volcom Nike 6.0

DC Fusalp

Zimtstern Horsefeathers Billabong

96. www.boardsportsource.com brand profile GIRO What do tenured halfpipe performers like Steven Fisher, Gretchin Bleiler, Clair Bidez, and Antti Autti to new-school street slayers like Ryan Paul and Anton Gunnarsson, to established film icons like Seth Huot, Wyatt Caldwell and JP Tomich all have in common? Giro that’s what! The Californian brand; renowned for their wide range of lids have a mean line in eyewear and a formidable team to boot. Just don’t call them helmet cops!

Please give an overview on how and why the The relationship between Giro and their team goggle lock up. I think companies that make both company began? extends beyond the snow to the art department, are the wave of the future. Giro was started out of a garage in Santa Cruz, design studio, engineering department and factory California over twenty years ago because we saw floor. Antti Autti and Juuso Laivisto are just two You make helmets and goggles, which go hand an opportunity to make products that performed of the athletes who have had the chance to see in hand on the mountain. Do you have any better and improved the riding experience. goggle development first hand at the Carl Zeiss plans to make headphones or other integrated Vision facility at the base of the Alps in Verona, products? Who is on the management team, and what are Italy. There they met the scientists and engineers We have such a great set up with Skullcandy it their backgrounds? responsible for the optic quality of their goggles, would be hard to justify. - Bob Scales, Brand Manager which allow them to stay focused and in turn stay - Chuck Platt, Head of Sports Marketing on top. By providing crucial feedback in terms of What do you see for the future of your - Phil Notheis, Product Manager performance, durability, and style, the snowboard company? team has pushed us to produce helmets and Our focus for the next three years is defining Giro What sets you apart from your competitors? goggles that meet their demands. It’s this process as a player in the goggle category though quality Experience, over twenty years in the helmet game that ensures their DNA is part of every product optics and a ripping team. and a partnership with Carl Zeiss Vision on the the brand puts out, insuring that the Giro mark is goggle side. more than a logo, it’s part of their legacy. Helmets sales have increased hugely over the last few seasons, do you see this growth How do you support athletes and boardsports? What other marketing are you running? continuing and do you support some resorts We do everything we can for our riders. We are We run a lot of print advertising, but we are plans to make them compulsory? working hard to help them build themselves as starting to focus on giro.com as being the heart of Yes, helmet sales are on fire and I think that trend brands and support their filming and promotional our marketing and brand stories. will continue, which obviously we are stoked about. efforts. Having said that, we have never been helmet cops. You make goggles and helmets for many sports; We just want to make the best products we can, How does the team look for 2011? do have any plans to move into the skate/surf/ so when someone is ready for a lid we stand out Giro provides the tools which enable progression. other markets? as the best option. Riders like Brennan Swanson, who became the first Never say never, but for now we feel like our rider ever to land a double cork on a quarterpipe biggest opportunity is to prove our commitment to What do you see for the future of the industry? at Snowboarder Magazine’s Superpark in May of the goggle category. Once people in China start riding we will all be 2010, exude the talent and creativity that define too busy counting our money to do anything else. the Giro team. It was through the lens of a Basis What is your company approach to CSR and Just kidding, but I think the future is bright for goggle that Kelly Clark stood atop the 2010 sustainability? companies that focus on making quality product Vancouver Olympic halfpipe and saw the 22-foot We are always looking into ways to be greener. that performs. transitions standing between her and a second Olympic medal. Seth Huot who shot his 10th Why should retailers sell your brand? Where can we check out your products/videos/ film segment in People’s Cheers in such remote Because we are AWESOME! Ha… aside from the stuff? locales as Newfoundland, Canada represents the helmet category continuing to be a moneymaker Giro.com next level for Giro. for dealers, the key to our equity is the helmet facebook.com/GiroSportDesign

Head Office: 5550 Scott's Valley Dr, Scott's Valley, CA. Tel: 95066 for gir www.eastonbellsports.com

www.boardsportsource.com 99 brand profile

rAustralianHy streetwear brand Rhythmthm launched back in 2002 and hit European shores last year. Known for its creative, music influenced design; this brand offers a contemporary offering and is sure to be a brand to watch. Sam Trapper, European MD, talks to SOURCE about their European expansion.

Please give an overview on how and why the What sets you apart from your competitors? of this need due to consumer behavior, or lack of company began? I believe we have the benefit of being a new young economic stimulation. Rhythm was conceived in 2002 in by creative company. We focus on having small, tight Jamahl Grey and Neal Purchase Jnr. Drawing on and effective teams that can react quickly to the What do you see for the future of your company? influences from the worlds of art, music, lifestyle - market and its demands. I see nothing but positive growth this being ideal past, present and future, the vision was to cater for for long term success especially in reflection of the a more open-minded, fashion forward and creative How do you support athletes and boardsports? timing of us as a new brand entering a saturated consumer. Jamahl and Neal had witnessed the big We are keeping the communication open and flowing market in a very unstable and low economic period. surf brands become increasingly homogenised at all times from all aspects of the brand such as We will expand further with the collections, entering in their endless quest for growth and slavery to product and direction, keeping the relationship the women’s market, whilst broadening across our mainstream tastes Rhythm brought together a between the brand and team rider personal. Within entire range. formidable team of creative talents, combining the the boardsports industry we focus on supporting energy and vision of youth with the wisdom and events, in the future once we will enter with our own What do you see for the future of the industry? depth of rock-solid industry experience. events under the Rhythm name. We are in a time of ‘industry instability’ where many markets, sectors and economies are at a low, Who is on the management team, and what are What other marketing are you running? seeing many smaller retailers and brands going their backgrounds? Next year we are supporting the Wängl Tängl 12th- out of business. We will see those major accounts In Europe, we have a small and expanding 19th March 2011 in Mayrhofen Austria and launching continue to dominate the industry, narrowing the management structure. Rhythm Europe’s Managing Rhythm Girls in Europe Summer 2012. product choice, thus turning the niche consumer to Director, Sam Richard Tapper, grew up within the more online purchasing for that “selected item,” and outdoor scene in Australia starting his career in What is your company approach to CSR and more likely that being purchased from a brand’s own retail at the age of 16. Sam worked for such brands sustainability? online store. We will also see more IT integrated as Ride Snowboards, Sole Technologies, Arnette I see many company´s efforts perhaps being within brands marketing and communications. sunglasses and later moving to, DVS, Matix and Lakai. directed more for marketing reasons, especially with After several successful years, Sam left Australia to emissions and sustainable materials. The consumer Where can we check out your products/videos/ travel Europe and to study in Zürich, drives the market, the market is at its lowest in many stuff? with a major in International Business Management. years, as is the economical situation, thus consumer’s http://www.rhythmlivin.com Shortly after completion of his studies, he took on disposable income to purchase our products is also http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/ the challenge to build and lead Rhythm Europe, now at a low and the consumer demands lower price rhythmlivinworld basing himself in Munich, Germany, with the design point. I believe in the future we will see industry division being led by Adrian Schnerring. standards and limitations being placed throughout RHYTHM Europe is looking to build their internal and the supply chain, with monitoring throughout. These external teams. Please feel free to contact source@ What is the company ethos? can only be monitored, controlled and if exceeded rhythmlivin.eu to find out more. Rhythm has always offered a 100%, no questions penalised by the government by means of fine or asked return policy on all products ensuring 100% offset trade e.g. carbon credit trading. Of course “Please visit us for a complete Winter 2011-12 customer satisfaction. Our goal is to offer industry- we at Rhythm Europe are constantly improving our collection preview at ISPO 2011, booth number leading products that all feature the constant thread efforts across the business environment. A2.313. of quality. We also believe in doing that extra bit. A policy of giving a bit back to the consumer whether it Why should retailers sell your brand? This is RHYTHM – The Sound of Change be through marketing events, promotions or product We offer our retailers and potential retailers an in relation to value in a garment, whilst still offering alternate to the mass of homogenised product that the retailer the desired margin. floods the market today. Retailers are strongly aware

European Head Office: Tel: +49 (0) 89 2323 72670 Email: [email protected] www.rhythmlivin.com

www.boardsportsource.com 101 brand profile

forcefield body armour

Please give an overview on how and why the athletes to be comfortable with whatever they Forcefield is consistently outselling the more company began? are wearing or it could ultimately be dangerous established brands on offer. The company has existed since the end of last for them. Currently we support a range of riders century, making shoe components, heels, soles etc from Jenny Jones who has used Forcefield for a You have received various accolades from the (which we still do). The body armour side started number of years, to up and coming riders such as motor sport press about your products, what about 22 years ago when we got a request for Jamie Nicholls as well as a new deal just finalised has the feedback been like for your winter sport shock absorbing material which we used for inner with the GB Snowboard Cross team and GB Speed products? soles from a company called Sports Protection to Skiing team Excellent, we have been pro active in getting put into their new motorcycle armour. Shortly after product to the press to try and test and have had we bought the Sports Protection business and What other marketing are you running? nothing but positive comments. continued to develop specialist body armour using Currently we advertise in UK magazines and a soft shock absorbing materials which perform in small amount online. Also for the first time we are What do you see for the future of your a far superior manner to hard materials. running a fleet of demo back protectors in certain company? snow domes in the UK, we also support dealers We have focused heavily on export markets this Who is on the management team, and what are with a range of in store POS units and signage. year and expect to see the benefits of that in the their backgrounds? next 12 -18 months, growth is forecast to triple Andy Gregory, MD, Business accountant. Matt How has your background in motorcycle over the next two years. Dawson, Sales Manager, worked in sales with protection helped you develop your snow sports manufacturer Pace. Richard products? Sales of protection equipment have increased Andrews, Technical development manager, has Firstly the CE approval has been driven from the over the last few years, how do you aim to been in-house specialist since 1988 and has motorcycle products; we know that motorcycle maintain this growth with your brand? developed the complete range now available. impacts are usually more serious than occur in We are working hard to design and produce Stuart Long, Marketing Manager, 20 years in retail snowsport so working to those standards gives new products based on direct feedback from specialising in e-commerce and marketing. us product that is more than up to the job. The athletes and consumers. We are also developing design with regards to fit has crossed over as new materials that offer higher levels of impact What is the company ethos? well, both motorcycling and snowsports require protection with low weight and thickness. To be the preferred source for optimum the user to not have movement impeded by poor performance protective products to all who enjoy fitting protection. What do you see for the future of the industry? sports where impacts occur. More focus on protection. Like it or not we are What is your company approach to CSR and living in a health and safety culture and people What sets you apart from your competitors? sustainability? will always want to ski and board so the safer it All Forcefield Body Armour is fully CE certified All of the armour is multi impact meaning that it can be made the more it will be acceptable. which ensures that minimum levels of protection is not a disposable product and will last years, we are guaranteed, though we always take the CE regularly see back protectors over five years old Where can we check out your products/videos/ benchmark and produce armour that far exceeds that are still going strong and protecting. Last year stuff? the standard, all of the armour will also take we also moved our clothing production to Europe www.forcefieldperformance.com multiple impacts and not degrade. to cut transport miles. www.facebook.com/Forcefield.UK twitter.com/ForcefieldUK How do you support athletes and boardsports? Why should retailers sell your brand? www.youtube.com/user/ We offer product support only, we took the decision Forcefield is a specialist brand that consistently Forcefield2010?feature=mhum (Watch the to offer product and not financial aid as we wanted produces the best product possible and as speedway clip here, it really shows the athletes to ‘want’ to wear Forcefield and not be protection becomes more popular and consumers effectiveness of Forcefield!) obliged to as we understand that it is critical for understand more about the benefits of using it,

Head Office Address: Portland Road, Rushden, Northants, NN10 0DJ. Tel: 01933 410818. [email protected]

www.boardsportsource.com 103 market insight BEST SELLERS In the first of a new regular feature, SOURCE speaks to leading independent retailers throughout Europe to find out what products are selling like hotcakes, and what’s sticking on the shelves like mushy bananas…

SKATE : Lowdown, Leuven, Belgium Shop: Halfpipe, London, UK open for: 12 years open for: 7 years Website: www.lowdown.be Website: www.half-pipe.co.uk What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? The brand we sell most of is Enjoi, whether it be apparel or wheels we Bones Red Bearings – hands down! – they’re durable and so cheap. Vans always do a lot with them. For skate hardwear - The Yard is also a good shoes for skaters, the vulcanised thinner soles are very popular as skaters seller. sacrifice durability for comfort. Es and Emerica have copied this design.

What is your best selling category and why? What is your best selling category and why? Apparel, mainly pants and denim. It is much easier to sell hardwear as it’s functional and technical whereas clothing is up to personal preference. Customers ask for advice and we can How are sales compared to this time last year? advise on the equipment and its benefits compared to other products. Higher by about 9-10%. How are sales compared to this time last year? Hottest brand you wish you sold but currently don’t and why? Skate sales are down as customers tend to keep hold of their money at the RVCA and The Hundreds (for a future skate brand). moment but there are still lots of younger new skaters so it’s early days.

How do you expect business to be over next six months? Hottest brand you wish you sold but don’t currently and why? Stable, it will maybe grow a bit back towards the level it was two years ago, We do well with Girl, Zoo York, Creature and Heroin. Lots of other brands but guys who skate will always skate and buy products no matter what the do well to begin with but then you hear nothing from them and their sales economy is doing. trail off and customers go back to the classics. Independent is huge.

How do you expect business to be over next six months? Things will become even more web based as people continue to look for bargains online. In snowboarding things have been good so far this season and customers seem to be less about the talk and more willing to spend SKATE & SNOW their cash and hit the slopes. Shop: Partizan, Wiesbaden, Germany open for: 4 years Website: www.partizanshop.de SNOWBOARD What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? SHOP: Addicted, Lyon, France We do skate and snow and because of the weather and time of year it open for: 8 years is the Burton ‘Moto’ boot, it’s the best-priced boot for beginners and all- Website: www.addicted.fr rounders. What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? What is your best selling category and why? The Dakine Helipack is our best selling product at the moment, it’s trendy, Snowboard outerwear and jackets. There have been less jackets in stores popular and has multiple uses - lots of children use them for school for this winter so sell-through should be good. Last year big companies like example. H&M started discounting very early which cost core shops a lot of money, as a result many just cut down the orders this season. What is your best selling category and why? Snow outerwear is the most popular category because of the winter How are sales compared to this time last year? season. Almost the same, hopefully a little better. December started very well, but it always depends on the weather. How are sales compared to this time last year? Better than last year, sales are up around 20%. Hottest brand you wish you sold but don’t currently and why? Stepchild Snowboards. I love the philosophy of the company but in Hottest brand you wish you sold but don’t currently and why? Wiesbaden there are not so many informed customers so they’re all going We sell most brands but Volcom is our best seller. We’ll wait to see who for Burton, Nitro or ski brands like Salomon. the hot new brands are.

How do you expect business to be over next 6 months? How do you expect business to be over next six months? It should be growing. Christmas sales started well and the media always Better than last year is my gut feeling, we’ve had a good start to the season talk about better market conditions. - sales and the weather have both been good. Everyone is amped for a good season and I’m confident we are exiting the financial crisis and the horizon is clear.

www.boardsportsource.com 105 market insight BEST SELLERS

SNOWBOARD SURF Shop: Crazy-Sports, Adelboden, Switzerland Shop Name: Surfworld, Bundoran, Ireland Age of Shop: 22 years Age of Shop: 20 Website: www.crazy-sports.ch Website: www.surf-world.ie What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? We are a small shop based in a ski resort so this changes quite often, however Our own branded t-shirts and hoodies, we sell loads of them to tourists and Zimtstern is our most popular brand by a long way whether it be t-shirts, pros who come to visit. In the summer months the population explodes here jackets or pants. with visitors, we sell a lot of Surf Republic, a local brand from Derry, too.

What is your best selling category and why? What is your best selling category and why? Outerwear, our most popular brands are Zimtstern, Burton and Nikita. Hardwear. This is due to our position as we’re 100m from ‘The Peak’, our shop windows are constantly covered in salt. In a year we’ll usually sell around How are sales compared to this time last year? 2000 wetsuits and more than 500 boards. The same as last year. How are sales compared to this time last year? Hottest brand you wish you sold but don’t currently and why? Retail has taken a hiding. The recession has had a huge impact and online There isn’t one. However Never Summer snowboards are really cool, they are sales are huge now. Profit margins are slashed but we do OK on high-end not super popular here but I love them and think they’re cool. products, we have to evolve. On saying that surf services such as rental and accessories have gone through the roof and that is all part of our evolution. How do you expect business to be over next 6 months? People are more picky now, they will rent and test kit before they buy. It is fine for us so far; it is all about the snow conditions, if the snow is good, business is good. Hottest brand you wish you sold but don’t currently and why? A few years back I wanted Hurley (at the height of blink 182 and Jack Ass) but it was introduced in Europe appallingly but it is looking good this year. Nike 6.0 has the buzz as all the kids talk about it.

How do you expect business to be over next 6 months? SNOWBOARD Tourism is down hugely but Ireland is a unique place and it has world-class Shop: Local Department, Wuerzburg, Germany waves with a tiny population. I can see the number of weekend warriors Age of Shop: 8 Years increasing with the younger affluent crowd growing, 95% of the visitors here are beginners. Website: What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? The Special Blend ‘annex’ pant, then Converse’s ‘Pappalardo’ followed by the SNOWBOARD Burton custom binding. Shop Name: Lagos Surf Centre, Portugal What is your best selling category and why? Age of Shop: 11 It’s 50-50 between hardware and outerwear. The conditions are good this Website: www.lagossurfcenter.com season and a lot of people want try snowboarding. Best brands: Burton, Special Blend, Cons, Altamont and Rome. What is your best selling single product at the moment and why? Difference between this time last year and now in sales? At the moment our best selling products are wetsuits in general, especially We increased the whole snowboard department by 30% towards last year The Dawn Patrol from Rip Curl and the E-Bomb, plus some Billabong ones too. (stand 12/10). This is because the water got colder last month and people now need a warm wetsuit. The prices are also good. Semente Surfboards always sell well too. Hottest brand you wish you sold but don’t currently and why? At the moment we have got everything we need but Nike snowboarding is very What is your best selling category and why? interesting, we have Nike 6.0 and we can’t get Nike snowboarding too. Union This is a tourist town and we sell flip-flops, bikinis, boardshorts and the usual bindings do a good job and Habitat shoes are good and cheap. things well in summer. We also sell many mini mals and fish surfboards too. In winter, we sell more wetsuits and boards and also shoes, backpacks for How do you expect business to be over next 6 months? school, board bags, skate material, surf wax, headphones, etc. I hope the conditions stay constant - this season is longer than last year (Easter is late and most territories are open longer). We want take more stuff How are sales compared to this time last year? for stock to close the [stock] gap, but the situation is the same every year, Compared to last year it’s more or less the same, it’s early to tell because you’re dependent on good conditions and it is difficult to make clear orders for Christmas makes a difference. next season as the order dates are too early. Also the options for the customer to find the exact boot or the jacket in the colour they want are too easy (due the How do you expect business to be over next six months? internet)! It is tough being a core retailer. I hope business will be excellent, haha! Positive thinking and hard work is the key!

Retailers! Would you like to be featured? Email [email protected]

106. www.boardsportsource.com new products 051 01. Pull-In - D3OTM Pull-in have developed a new item of technical 01. underwear composed of a highly shock proof material, D3OTM. Offering added protection, this component is also flexible and bendy so can be used for a multitude of impact protection products. This is teamed up with the quality of an undergarment made of DRY-CLIM (a technologically developed textile made of 02. microfibres that transfer humidity to the outside which controls humidity by absorbing the sweat from the body. Three products will be on display for the first time at ISPOwww.pull-in.com

02. Dakine - Eric Pollard pro-models (pack and glove) Helipro DLX – Pollard, features: Cross and vertical snowboard carry, Retractable cable ski carry, Fleece lined google pocket Insulated hydro sleeve, External snow tool/shovel pocket, Sabre glove – Pollard, features: Hipora waterproof insert, Durable water repellent leather palm, Fleece/pile lining, Zipper cuff closure www.dakine.com

03. Zimtstern & Les Ettes - “Allstar” Les Ettes and Zimtstern share the same philosophy when it comes to sustainability and a love for detail. So for Winter 2011/12 the two brands have teamed up to release a beauty case for girls who love to travel, look good and smell great. The Allstar beauty case offers many practical inner pockets and compartments for cosmetics 03. 04. www.zimtstern.com 04. EQ Bracelets Combine negative ions and holographic technologies, EQ silicon bracelets are water resistant. Our world is composed of energy fields and vibration wave forms that constantly interact with one another. Each day we encounter many of these energy fields and they can have negative, energy-sapping effects on the body. Such negative fields could be sourced from radiation, pollution, electrical pylons, drugs and some foods. Conversely, some energy fields can have a positive 06. effect on us, with examples including negative ions, organic food, pure water and music. www.eq-love.com

05. URBAN EARS - The Medis What makes the Medis unique, apart from the number of colour-ways, is how it sits in your 05. ear - the patented EarClick solution secures the earpiece at two separate points to the outer canal of your ear rather than one keeping it firmly in place. Like all Urbanears products, the Medis comes with a microphone and remote compatible with most devices from Nokia, Blackberry, HTC and iPhones. www.urbanears.com

06. G-shock – GX56DGK-1ER G-Shock has teamed up with skate brand DGK to create a timepiece to fill the void for rugged watches with skateboarders in mind. Founded by professional street skateboarder Stevie Williams, DGK is best known for its irreverent style and groundbreaking designs. www.gshock.com

108. www.boardsportsource.com market intelligence Germany By Dirk Vogel

All is not well in Euro-Land in early 2011. The Euro, common currency for purposes.” In terms of hardware, the standout board brand at 58 is Light 16 countries is struggling and with Ireland and Portugal officially asking the surfboards, with a ‘great price-performance ratio’. Other brands include rest of the Monetary Union for help, the pressure is on countries with intact Pukas, Lost, Rusty, and also Al Merrick and several other shapers who economies. German banks have already lent more than €2.4 billion to foreign produce in Europe. Neoprene is dominated by Billabong in the lower price debtors and Chancellor Angela Merkel is running out of ways to politely say segment and Xcel in the mid to upper segments. “no”. A growing number of citizens want the Deutschmark back! It’s not going to happen, but just imagine that for a minute... Jens says that their annual surf camp in Peniche is not so much about recruiting beginners, but “more of an access point for surfers, family and Meanwhile, recovery continues with ongoing economic growth and friends. Of course we are still offering courses, but the majority of people unemployment down at the lowest levels since 1992. As a result, the have become ‘regulars’. Our camp is booked-out year round. People can book Association for Consumer Research (GfK) expects the purchasing power of their trip and rent boards and equipment directly at the store. This has made private households to rise by €499 per capita during 2011. The spending our position in Ulm increasingly strong, authentic and credible and the camp mood has already improved, German retail wrapped up Holiday season 2010 is an important factor for new customers. Not however, the posers or the ‘I with a whopping €14 billion in total sales. Boardsports retailers also report wanna go to France and get laid on my surf trip’, crowd!” positive results - boardsports are really “hot” right now across both core and mainstream demographics – but many insiders are looking ahead into 2011 Skate: Ready for friendly skies with a healthy dose of scepticism. Sven Eckert, CEO of TX SPORTS GROUP As usual, the German skate scene is spending the winter at indoor parks in Nuremberg says, “Brands are prostituting themselves through their or on trips to warmer climates. Looking ahead, Jörg Ludewig, co-owner of distribution channels for sales, sales and more sales... If the managers don’t Urban Supplies Distribution in Wiesbaden says, “If the weather doesn’t rain change their distribution policies sometime soon, there won’t be much left on our parade again, I’m really optimistic for next spring. It appears as if one of the boardsports business. All these ‘great’ online portals are slaughtering of the counterfeiters in the market has been ratted out and stopped and I classic retail!” hope word gets around about that. At least then we won’t be losing sales to counterfeiters.” Jochen Bauer, who runs Beatnuts Distribution in Ratisbon, Snow: Plenty of white = plenty of green? also commented on the weather, “In 2010 we had rained-out months where Winter is off to an early start and snowstorms with homely female names people were unable to skate. This caused slow sell-through periods for such as “Petra” have kept a constant cover of snow on resorts throughout us. So, to become independent of the weather, we founded a non-profit the country. Snow retailers report a positive season so far and when asked association to push for an indoor park here in Regensburg.” about trends, Jens Gramer, CEO at 58 store in Ulm said, “Our kids and youth sections are breaking records! We are completely sold out in some styles, Asked about overall skate trends, Jochen pointed towards wider decks, especially functional snow goods.” That said, like Sven in Nuremberg, Jens around 8” with trucks to match and to kids’ products, both hard and softgoods. is also cautious: “I can’t tell you which brands exactly, because [online] On that note, Bernhard Burger at 5ive said, “We are noticing that kids around vendors would just jump on these brands!” 12 already want something more stylish than just a basic sweater. Kids here in Southern Germany are increasingly going for streetwear jackets, The hottest (confirmed) hardgood brands include LibTech, Rome, Special because they won’t be wearing them on the mountain anyway. Flo Bechert Blend and Burton. Snow softgoods are also shifting, while Bernhard Burger, at Boardshop Freiburg said that the “best [softgood] brands right now are CEO at 5ive store in Kempten notes, “Funnily enough, we are selling more the ones offering style, leaning towards surfing and away from skate.” Klaus surf than snow brand softgoods, such as Billabong but overwhelmingly Dieter Span at Black Box in Düren also noticed that the current “skater look” Quiksilver, who have nailed it with their commercial styles.” Bernhard also – or as Klaus put it with a grin - “V-neck tees with buttons, skinny jeans and notes, “In outerwear, it’s scary to see that for most customers, functionality ‘women’s shoes’ by Vans”, can be bought cheap on the high street. Not so and technology hardly get a look-in when choosing these days.” exclusive, right?!

Sven at TX SPORTS also says, “Customers are hard to predict... Winter jackets Looking ahead, Klaus Dieter is concerned about another trend in skate retail. up to €150 are going well, the mid-price points are tough, but high-end is “Goods are getting cheaper and cheaper. The margins are getting worse. also going well. People aren’t buying as brand-consciously as they used to. Product quality is also dropping a bit. I think this is really dangerous, because Style seems more important, back to basics with no logo or gimmicks.” at some point people won’t be willing to spend money on poor quality goods. After all, you pay for quality and there are still plenty of people aware of Surf: More than just fashion? that!” Asked about the hottest surf brands, most retailers will point to Billabong, Quiksilver and O’Neill. What about shops that actually sell surf boards; not On a final note, congratulations to Valerie Rosomako and Maxim Rosenbauer, just the lifestyle, though? We discussed the state of surfing in Germany with the two latest pros on the roster of Berlin-based Radio Skateboards. They Jens Gramer at 58 shop, who supports the scene with an annual surf camp in toasted their pro status at the legendary Berlin Franken, whose bartender Peniche, Portugal, “Surf hardware, meaning the ‘real’ surf industry, not the Alice recently graced a new Radio board graphic with her cleavage. We’ll copy cats and commercial brands, is finally moving forwards. We’re seeing drink to that! See you next time. really informed, store-clerk-aided purchases, not just buying for decorative

www.boardsportsource.com 111 market intelligence U.K. By Dave Colwill

Over the last few days I have been contemplating how I would open this Boots, bindings or outerwear has not followed the fall in board sales issue’s UK News. You see I’ve had plenty of time to think it over. Why at BSB, these are performing equal to last year. “We are having a good all this time? Well, I was stuck in an airport at the mercy of the weather season for boots with some brands selling out during December, we’ve gods and the infrastructure of the British transport system. been on the phone to Burton and ThirtyTwo and their stocks are already low, but hopefully we can get more stock before the season is out” Now all of us love a bit of snow and as someone wiser than I just said, “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes,” but what is The recent snowfall in Bristol had also spurred customers into buying the effect on the economy when we can’t keep roads and airports open and the guys have seen a sharp increase in outerwear especially from after the merest sniff of a snowflake? the twenty something age group. ”Outerwear sales have been good with jackets under £170 selling very well, ThirtyTwo outerwear has so The cold weather during November actually aided Internet sales as far out performed others, they’re really high spec for the money and consumers stayed at home to shop. Shoppers in the UK spent a total consumers are responding to that. As far as colour trends, we don’t of £6.4 billion online during November, equivalent to £104 per person. stray too far from classic tones; darker colours seem to be the choice Sales were up 23.4% on October for Bristolians. and 21.5% on November 2009. (IMRG Data). It was also pretty interesting Overall this cold snap is good though, BSB has been trading for 30 where these sales increases were years and Richard has been part being recorded, going back to right? Everyone buys into heavier of the DNA of the store for over the Bad Weather vs. Bad Clothing 14 of those, I asked what keeps hypothesis, consumers stocked up consumers coming back and what on winter jackets and knitwear. Due winter goods, jacket sales soar and they are planning to do to keep the to this demand, the heavy winter store running for another three product sector saw a year-on-year outerwear gets an early boost, if decades? increase of 35%, the strongest online growth for 18 months. customers can actually get there! “At BSB we like to think we offer good customer service, all the staff Conversely, from mid December the snowboard and we hand pick all our weather situation hampered Internet sales because of the strain placed products, if we’re not confident in the product or brand, it’s not carried on infrastructure and deliveries. Every retailer I had spoken to pre- in store. We like to participate in board tests and other events to educate Christmas voiced concerns regarding the late deliveries and the knock ourselves on the next season’s products. Saying that, it would be great on effect of unwanted or late delivered product. Would this lead to lack if events like board tests could take place before the buying season was of trust in their retail platform? What would be the refund scenario post over, I think this would give the retailer even more chance to get their Christmas and would this affect future Internet sales during times of product mix 100% correct.” “bad weather” or peak trade? “Participating in local events and advertising in local magazines helps Overall this cold snap is good though, right? Everyone buys into heavier generate footfall for the store, but mostly our business is built on word winter goods, jacket sales soar and outerwear gets an early boost, if of mouth. The development of the website is also going to be key for customers can actually get there! us to reach out to consumers, it’s recently gone live and we’re pleased with the business it’s generated. It’s a window to the store for anyone I caught up with Richard King of BSB snowboards to find out how sales searching online, hopefully leading to follow-up in store.” had been in the run up to Christmas and if consumers had made their way through the snow to BSB’s welcoming environment. The good sign “We have a few plans for the New Year and the change of season from was that the first time I called he was too busy to talk as he had a shop snow to windsurf. This year we are going to carrying some kite surf kit full of needy customers. too. We intend on developing the summer side of the business and it’s looking likely that this will result in a shop re-location in the spring. One “So far this year we are a little down on overall sales up to the same thing we will have to make time for is the familiarisation of the kite surf week last year, largely due to our snowboard sales and the price trend product, hopefully this will give us a couple of weeks on the water!” we have seen for the November/December period. We are selling fewer boards and the vast majority them going out the door have a lower retail So, let’s see how the next few months pan out for everyone. You never price comparatively to last season. When Richard took on the store know, if this snow keeps on falling we might have fresh powder coming over four years ago, he didn’t have a limitless budget and only those he to a hill near you! And don’t forget, there is no such thing as bad weather, thought the best brands, survived. “The tight list of brands we stock are only bad clothes! selling well in the mid-price range, LibTech and Gnu along with Ride and Burton are shifting, the standout board for us so far has been the Burton Smiles Process V-Rocker.”

www.boardsportsource.com 113 market intelligence FRANCE By Iker Aguirre, Lucy Paltz, Luke van Unen.

The expression ‘happy ending’ may have dodgy connotations these days, test them. They also came to get advice and information." A few valleys but this is exactly how to describe the skateboarding market of 2010. away in Luz Ardiden they saw a similar phenomenon, a promising winter The civil unrest (okay, riots!) was reflected in the commercial sector and a good reservation diary, notably from Spanish clients. Mickey, from with reticent consumption and a drop in spending. Thankfully, the year the shop Mickey Snowboard, is keeping it real though; "There are lots seems to be finishing on a high, as sales have taken off again, cash of people in the resort, but they have a small budget. The Spanish are registers have begun to jingle and the smiles are back, as they should suffering from the crisis and aren’t spending as much as they used to." be for the festive season. The winter opportunities lie with foreign clientele. Constituting over Skate hardgoods and accessories have racked up the best results, 30% in some places, they represent important financial fodder. In Val as Tanguy d'Edyaoner confirmed. Competition has been fierce in the d'Isere, 55% of clients are foreign and 45% of them English. The shop hardgoods market with an increase in the number of brands and changes Misty Fly backs this up, "When someone comes into our shop there is in distribution helping to expand and a 50% chance that they are English. enrich what's on offer. The trend in This means that a half English, the hardgoods sector for complete The trend in the hardgoods sector half French team is required. This packages is growing (yes, more type of client is more interested beginners!), as are those of cruisers for complete packages is growing in freestyle than the French and is (yes, more oldies!), wider decks (yes, prepared to pay more." Likewise, if more stairs!) and French bearings (yes, morebeginners!), as are those Mickey is concerned about the lack (yes, Edyaoner!). of budget from the Spanish, it's because his whole shop is aimed at One key element to ensure a shop’s of cruisers (yes, more oldies!), wider them, "Here, the people who buy the doors stay open is a healthy, core brands are almost all Spanish. balanced variety of product and, decks (yes, more stairs!) and French They love that it’s fashion, fun and given the drop in their acquisition flash." The same goes for Chamonix. power, distributors' sale conditions bearings (yes, Edyaoner!) The English and Scandinavians are are paramount. The response from keeping the shops alive and the shops about this was very positive shops are totally in tune with them, overall. Stephane Gros from ABS in Lyon confirmed that the distributors not hesitating to order products that they demand, often more technical are "generally more flexible”. From a distributor's point of view, it’s not and more developed. quite so positive. Jerome Valette from Encore Agency (selling the brand Podium) says that in 2010 "payments from shops were slightly better, Far from the mountains, the surf world is in mourning. The death of a but a lot less stock moved than at the same time last year." He also added key player has repercussions throughout and makes us reflect on the that although the number of shops has increased, "the expectations for direction the industry is moving. Of course though, business continues. 2011 are less optimistic." Constant rumours of takeovers, competition from the Internet, problems of expenditure and the impact of the crisis still loom, with the same As for the winter, snow falling very early in the mountains as well as on crushing routine. However, with the loss of someone like Bruno the plains blocked cities, isolated rural areas and slowed the economic Debauché, a framework is provided with which to ask the right questions activity of the country by stopping planes, trains and trucks from and to revise priorities. getting around for days. Then, there was a boomerang effect for the snowboard industry: the snow kick-started the winter season, providing Namely, are we on the right track? Bruno might have known the answer. free publicity for winter sports and encouraging people to get up to the He was an accomplished man who, through his actions, knew how to mountains and get ready. find these elusive answers. He walked the earth on his own two feet and many things changed for the better. No written testimony is necessary, Confirmation comes from the ABS shop in Lyon; "During this period, our as it would pale into insignificance in the face our memories. You may board sales really jumped. We even saw a slight increase on last year at think I am letting my emotions run wild and these words are a stream of the same time. The 'snow in town' effect was felt more on boards than sadness, but this is not the case. Like everyone in this industry, I knew on outerwear for us as it is on hardgoods that we’ve built our reputation. of Bruno, however our paths rarely crossed, so my regard is simply that We also sold lots of accessories like hats and gloves, etc." of someone witness to the disappearance of an example. Bruno was a model of excellence; his work and presence are still out there, full of In resort, optimism also reigns. Reservations for the winter are on enthusiasm and respect. This will keep his spirit alive for a while to the increase, around 2% compared to last year in the Alps, as well as come. The success of this man should not only be calculated on balance in the big resorts of the Pyrenees. In Saint Lary, while sales in the sheets but by how much he affected people directly. On all levels, he shop Snowproblemo remained stable, footfall was much higher. "With succeeded. Even in death he’s helping us along, helping us to look at the early snowfall and the Rock On Snowboard tour organised in Piau ourselves in the mirror and find the right path. As people, as an industry, Engaly, quite a lot of people came to see the boards, then go out and are we on the right track?

114. www.boardsportsource.com AUSTRIA By Uwe Ballon, Motion Sports

While the Austrian media keeps reporting great sales Trends and Innovation: segments.” and soaring demand in all walks of business, the 3Sixty: “Rocker boards! Slim skate shoes and Radix: “We are very well rooted within the only real lines of customers I have seen are in front bulky bike shoes.” scene.” of the mulled wine stands, not retail counters. To Blue Tomato: “Rocker is hot, good riders like X-Double: “We’re supporting snowboard parks, sum up the overall mood in the Austrian boardsports camber. Powder-specific shapes, short tail, wide sponsor a great and sizeable team and are trying business, I might go with despair. November saw nose, even splitboards are popular again. Slim to give something back to the scene.” massive sales drops, and the holiday business has skate shoes. Flannel STILL going well. 2011 will Alton: “We are profiting from personal, been lacklustre at best. be the year of camo!” knowledgeable store service.” However, when we interviewed retailers around the X-Double: “More and more rocker, Core Brands country, responses were mixed. Here’s what we and limited edition products in the snow segment Online business retailers: found out. (Nike Snowboarding) are going well.” Lifestyle: Online is a mixed bag. Many retailers are trying to sell stuff at heavy discounts online, Autumn business: Lifestyle shop, Landeck: Strengths and weaknesses in the but they forget that the virtual world is a small “October was still good, November just dismal. boardsports business: village and this will affect everyone.” December average.” 3Sixty: “Online re-order systems! I need cool Blue Tomato: “It’s indispensable nowadays. Blue Tomato: “Starting in September, lots of snow events and combinations to stand out from the However, regulation is needed. It’s only okay if a and hardgoods, especially online. November proved rest of the pack.” real store is backing the site.” too warm, but lots of snow in December started Radix: “Support core shops. Core shops are Radix: “The only thing that counts is direct boards, free ski and outerwear moving. Protective enhancing the scene – chains, fashion shops and customer interaction.” gear is going strong. At the same time there haven’t boardsport multi-brand stores are exploiting it!” Intersport Arlberg: “No online store. It’s about us been many opportunities to re-order. There have Alton: “It’s negative when boardsports companies and not the products!” also been very late deliveries. Special sales have are selling to large-scale chains across the When asked about their top selling brands most started early, especially among online retailers. That country. This overkill is decimating core shops.” retailers citied Burton the leader for hardgoods is irresponsible and disrespectful... we need to stop Intersport Arlberg: “Those who can re-supply with Forum, Nitro and LibTech also high up there. it!” nowadays are the winners, and all others are For goggles, Anon was top of nearly everybody’s Radix, Linz: “Sales have been declining, sadly.” punished when the next order rolls around.” list and outerwear saw Zimtstern get a special X-Double, Innsbruck: “It’s going pretty good. Not mention along with Volcom Special Blend and many sales of backpacks, which is probably due Their own business: Burton. to widespread distribution of some brands. Snow Blue Tomato: “Growth according to plan and hardgoods have been increasing since December.” good sell-through for most brands and product

SWITZERLAND By Fabien Grisel Winter has arrived and after a changeable Romina Giacchetta of Doodah in Lausanne it’s onwards most brands will see their prices rise autumn, the end of the year has been blanketed been a snowboard deck year while last year was by an average of 8%-15%. This will be across by white. The streets and airport of Geneva more about boots and outerwear. the board for Asian made products. have been paralysed by epic snowfalls not normally seen in low-lying cities and the rest of In technical clothing, sales figures were As for trends, we can declare the rocker the country has by no means been spared. generally slightly worse than last year and this phenomenon well established in people’s minds is almost certainly due to a decrease in the and models boasting this technology seem to be The snow is welcome though as many are quantity supplied. Massive delivery delays made selling well. In German-speaking Switzerland relying heavily on it to boost sales, especially the task difficult for retailers who simply lacked the brand Never Summer have created a bit of outerwear whose sales in autumn didn’t live the necessary tools to do their work well. a stir while they barely even exist in French- up to expectations. That people wait until speaking Switzerland. Jones Snowboards have they are really cold to buy a jacket or to think The problems we have suffered in recent months also made a noteworthy entry onto the market. about a holiday is not just a myth, but a reality has a lot to do with Chinese factories and we Their boards seem to cover a part of the market that is proven year after year. Although some know the situation is not going to improve any that is seldom exploited by other brands, the wintersports addicts go to shops in September time soon. Gone are the days of asking Asian demand being so high at the start of the season to look for new equipment, it just doesn’t occur manufacturers for more, quicker and for less. that their manufacturer, Nidecker, perhaps a to most people until they have to dig out their These days strikes, orders exceeding production victim of their own success, could not manage to car or put on their winter tyres. capabilities and the increase in raw material and fully meet the demand as they themselves were labour costs characterise Chinese production. having delivery problems. The brand Capita, So for some these flurries were a blessing, for While this season will see delays, there are also being one of the first to deliver, benefitted others, sales went as normal. For SB Sport in obvious repercussions for the future. These from a good rate of dispatch. Burton seems Gland, snowboard sales have been good and will include tighter deadlines, more precise to be losing a bit of momentum in specialised their appointment book for boot-fitting - an area order forecasts and a resulting general price shops, but maintains the best sell-out record in in which they excel - has never been so full. For increase. This is no secret and from next year mainstream stores.

116. www.boardsportsource.com RUSSIA By Yuri Kolobov This year December brought positive vibes into the will definitely feed back to distributors and remove sectors being overpriced and making it cheaper for Russian action sports industry. Sales were good in some margins. In December, Moscow hosted the Russians to shop abroad. The question is how will most cities, probably due to the favourable weather biggest ever action sports (skate, surf and snow) the WTO work in rather “opaque” Russia? Let’s wait conditions. Moscow successfully hosted the biggest photo exhibition, ‘Jump into the Future’. This was and see. skate, surf and snow art event ever and there was a huge event. The best photos by numerous action The Economy in general is picking up and the a few bob invested into snowboard parks here and sports photographers were on show. The event forecasted growth for GDP is up to 4%. The general there. The Ruble got stronger, which although not was sponsored by Tramplin (a real estate project mood in the business environment is positive. too good for economy in general, helped keep prices in Olympic Sochy), the Burton distributor and a Interest rates are down to pre-crisis level, however at a decent level. Finally, Russia has almost reached Quiksilver subsidiary. Everybody was stoked with still far away from European levels. Banks are the criteria to join the World Trade Organisation. the venue, very downtown, right by the Kremlin and offering business loans for 10-15%. That’s the basics. Now, more detail. the scale of the advertising campaign. The 100 x There are lots of events happening on world If November was really volatile in terms of weather, 50m banner right in front of Kremlin was hard to snowboarding day. The first (of three planned) December brought snow and cold temperatures miss! Over three days, the show had more than Burton snowboard park will open in Ekaterinburg. everywhere, except the South. Sales wise, nobody 10,000 visitors, exceeding all expectations. Good The features were purchased in Europe (Unit can complain. However, as I stated in previous news – people are still interested in action sports! Company) and the park is going to be high end. The articles, the bigger stores are getting bigger and It looks like Russia will join the WTO any day. other two Burton parks will be opened in January in the smaller either smaller or gone completely. Rumour has it happening in 2010. This will hopefully Moscow and St. Petersburg. So the year is coming Unfortunately, we have to admit that the number bring some lower duties for apparel and outwear to an end. Snow arrived in good time and the rest; of outlets in the action sports market has dropped (currently at 10%), bags (currently at 20%) and some we’ll have to wait to find out. quite dramatically (our estimation is 20-30%). This other items. High duties are leading to entire market Spain Nothing much is changing in Spain, the economy did sales. Everybody agrees that sales have fallen by 25% is suffering the most. The shops are full of product; show a small rise this year, until the final quarter to 35%, even though that’s a lesser percentage than they look like its September, not nearly Christmas. It’s when it slumped once more. last year. frightening. Board sales aren’t bad, as long as you’re Even when there is an improvement, it doesn’t seem moving below the €60 mark, so local brands like like it will last, as Spain’s main problems have not Snow: Winter arrived on time and there are interesting Nomad and Jart are commanding a bigger share of been solved. Neither companies nor citizens can technical innovations such as reverse camber. the market. Actually, Nomad has grown 40%, showing get credit and the housing bubble has burst. Prices Noticeably this year, the consumer is checking out the crisis can be a bonus if you’re prepared for it. This have increased by around 20%, so no one is buying. every possible alternative before parting with their growth is a great gift for a company celebrating its The banks (the new owners of the housing sector) hard earned cash. 10th anniversary. don’t want to drop prices because that will lead to Boards are best sellers this year, with boots and Hugo Llansola from Project shop represents the new a decrease in the value of their assets thus making bindings not going so well. It seems Burton has not style of owner for the crisis. The perfect balance their awful balance worse. Further, it’s not clear who had one of their best years, but smaller brands like between passionate fan and entrepreneur, he has can step in to help with these issues. Certainly not the Tech9 and Lib Tech are noticing increased sales. clear ideas about where the board business in Spain government; who are proving fairly useless. Snowboarders and therefore shops are complaining should go. He insists on the necessity of a closer The board sector continues to do better than the of poor graphics on the low to medium price range relation between brands and shops as the bridge rest of the economy, but it’s hovering on the edge. boards. Clothing is steady, shifting less than in between client and brand. He is clear about pricing Shops are closing much faster than they’re opening. previous years but better than everybody expected a in times like these; feeling expensive brands won’t be Payment delays this winter are increasing hugely few weeks ago. making money in Spain for sometime. which is deeply damaging for brands and distributors Time can only tell what’s going to happen, however because of the scarcity of credit. The most worrying Skate: All good things come to an end and after nearing the end of the winter season; the results of aspect of this winter though, is the clear decrease of continued good sales; the end has arrived. Clothing the match are Crisis 0 Board Industry 0. CHINA The weather forecast was right for once: We’re already and technical features when purchasing hardware like store owner in Ciqikou, a trade hub for snowboard gear getting colder temperatures than usual and even boards and bindings. Consumers are more educated in Beijing. Shanghai has had its fair share of snow. On the brighter and are taking more effort to look into the materials used Figures can best prove the demand. “There’s been a 20% side, this must be the ideal platform for snowboarding. and technologies employed. Thanks to the incredible increase in both our retail and wholesales, compared It seems to be the perfect moment: the right weather information sharing of our digital age, Chinese to last season. Orders from the resorts are up as well, conditions, exploding media exposure and an increasingly snowboard enthusiasts are increasingly exposed to the because they are putting a lot of effort into improving demanding market. However, the possibility of severe latest trends in snowboarding and the newest goods their facilities, says Ben Zhou, a Marketing Manager inflation is spreading across the country and consumer from all leading international brands. at the Tecnica Group. According to him, the dealers confidence has fallen by up to 5% at the beginning of the are predictably happy about the rising sales. They are third quarter, according to a report by Nielsen released When we were doing our regular store checking, we earning money, especially in the snowboard sector. in mid-December. With this the case, brands need to be noticed there were queries from customers about prepared to make an extra effort to impress potential products that haven’t been launched in China just yet, for For skateboarding, winter is not so encouraging. As consumers. instance, Burton's limited AK457 series. To some extent, Xiao He, store manager of skateboard retailer Fly this reveals the general picture of the Chinese market’s Beijing told us, since the temperature has dropped, sales The most sought after outerwear this season is the need. “It’s a shame that some really good products are have gone down. He also expressed concerns that the super colourful, featuring splashy and bright patterns. not available in China, even though we do have the customers are more interested in street fashion than the This year snowboarders are looking closely at practical demand and the capacity to buy them”, reckoned by one skateboarding culture.

118. www.boardsportsource.com ITALY By Franz Hoeller Having been at a sales meeting in the US, I can nothing new here, but smaller brands like Yes, is very popular for the snow shops and nearly tell you the flannel trend is still as big there as it Stepchild and Bataleon seem to be more popular everybody shows up to do fashion deals at Bread is in Europe and Italy. Not only are the boardsport with the real snowboarding devotees. & Butter. Hopefully this winter Bright will get related brands offering a large selection, but also the same attention from the Italian shops, as every big fashion brand. Scary how fast flannel For streetwear, the clothing business is still in the tradeshow fully deserves it and should be has got into nearly every skate shop, boutique movement as trends change fast. Competition the new hotspot for every skate and streetwear and chain store! for jeans sales are tough because street-fashion dealer from Italy and Europe. brands are getting more and more attention from Back to Italy, nothing new with regards to the skate shop owners so brands like Dr. Denim, More and more shops are starting up their own economy, Berlusconi is still causing trouble Cheap Monday and so on are finding their way online stores and it’s now important to have a and the population is getting annoyed with him into skate and snow shops. professional appearance on the web. According to as Prime Minister. The weather is doing its retailers all over the country, hardgoods seem to part, its cold throughout Italy and the snow is Shoes remain a sell-through guarantee and sell smoothly online, but clothing and shoes move falling, as it should be. Hopefully this will get here’s the list of my top six brands slowly. All the retailers agree that the reason for the snowboarding shops the Christmas sales in Italy: Vans, DC, Etnies, DVS, Circa and Lakai/ this is because most Italian customers want to they need, as they are stocked and ready to Emerica. Thanks to the crazy colour combinations try on and feel the material before buying. Only sell. Reverse camber boards are having a good on their high tops, Osiris also finds its way back more special items that are hard to get, sell on sell through as they have been marketed well. into the stores. In the pre-Christmas rush, skate the clothing and shoe side. Boardsport retailers Everybody seems to be interested in them and hardgoods are flying off the shelves, completes shouldn’t worry about this because the bigger wants to at least try one out. are a particularly hot Christmas gifts. I like this fashion brands also have the same problems as it means new skaters will be born in 2011. selling online in Italy. I think this will change as In outerwear, competition seems to be a lot more the customers become more comfortable with fierce than with hardgoods. A lot of emerging As retailers are worrying about their winter sales, buying online in the near future. brands are entering the market and want to get a brands are preparing for the main tradeshows slice of the pie. Burton is still the market leader, like ISPO, Bright and Bread and Butter. ISPO

PORTUGAL By Helder Ferreira Portuguese economic woes seem endless. – to exit the Euro. One way or another it’s not wetsuits and surfboards. A crisis always holds Bad news follows bad news and we can barely difficult to figure the impact of such devaluation some opportunities and this one has had a see a light at the end of the tunnel. After the on our market sales. Obviously the purchasing curious, although not totally unexpected, effect. intervention of the European Central Bank at power of the consumer would be severely hit, The traditional surf and skate shops that a few the sovereign bond market, the interest paid turning a bad situation into a catastrophe before years ago seemed doomed to extinction are the by the Portuguese Government fell for a short it improved. However, unless one of these two ones that have grown the most. The increase while, but in a matter of days it was on the up possibilities is actioned, we will slowly spiral in the number of people surfing and skating again. Its increasingly clear Portugal will not be down without any recovery in the foreseeable has created demand for sport’s hardgoods, and able to repay its debt without painful economic future. the core traditional shops are the ones best restructuring. Back in the day before the Euro, positioned to supply this demand. They are the the solution was to devalue the currency to As annual meetings between brand distributors ones with the knowledge and the credibility. allow spending, wages and productivity to and licensees are coming to a close, there’s balance with the help of an inflation hike, which been a common link among all of them: the rise Skate shoes are also doing okay; seemingly is in reality a hidden tax. This devaluation would of labour costs in China and the brutal increase apparel is the struggling sector. The few also help Portuguese exports further boosting in the price of cotton this year. The Portuguese retailers that work seriously with snowboarding the economy. Since Portugal is now in the have a third problem due to the 23% VAT rise product are happy with their sales, collecting Eurozone, devaluation of the currency is not starting January, compounding both price orders since September and if the winter keeps possible, so we are stuck between a rock and jumps. The only upside of these issues is the sending storms south, this will be another very a hard place. There are two choices, either an textile factories in Portugal could become more good year for snowboarding. internal devaluation, meaning lower costs for the competitive, if they seize the opportunity. Unless the Portuguese Government screws economy reflected in lowering wages, real estate everything up as usual, our market can take a prices, government spending etc., short cutting Regarding retail sales, they have been a little hit and recover fairly quickly. It’s just a matter our standard of living (translated in Euros) by slower than last year although surf, skate of keeping structures slim, doing what we do 15% to 30%. Or, the other choice – God forbid and snow hardgoods have been up, especially best and being true to our passions.

120. www.boardsportsource.com Opportunities Opportunities

International Wintersports, ZURICH HQ – ISD MARKETING Outdoor & Sportswear AND TEAM COORDINATOR Brand Overall job objective: The Team Coordinator works closely with the EU ISD ( Arnette/Revo ) Brand Manager, North of England & Scotland Area Sales Manager Specialty Business Brand Associate aligning sports marketing, brand goals and objectives. Nike does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. We are a place to explore potential, obliterate Basic Salary £35,000, ote £45,000 Company Car boundaries, and push out the edges of what can be. We’re looking for people who can grow, think, dream Key objectives include: and create. We thrive in a culture that embraces diversity and rewards imagination. We seek achievers, leaders and visionaries. At Nike, it’s about bringing what you have to a challenging and constantly • Implement, drive and manage the ISD program evolving game. At Nike Inc, every employee brings inspiration and innovation to our business. And others • Assist in SM tasks by preparing presentations and memos, manage Our Mission: To protect and enable professionals making their have also taken notice. In the last three years, we’ve been named to Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For. product orders from athletes and help with day-to-day activities living in the harshest environments. • PR responsibilities Nike Inc employs more than 33,000 people globally. Our Nike European Headquarters located near Amsterdam in the is home to more than 1,500 employees and maybe soon you'll be one of them We are looking for a professional sales manager to continue that Key Responsibilities: MISSION Oversee ISD brand athlete endorsements, product placement and ISD event presence mission and drive our brand forward in the North of England and The nature of the work is focused on creating product and brand demand, understanding external constituents and effectively presenting company or product information. Scotland. This is a fantastic opportunity for the right individual to Capabilities: develop their sales career with an International Outdoor Sports- RESPONSIBILITIES • Proven ability to establish relationships and maintain a broad network of business wear Brand. • Lead the development (together with Specialty Business Lead) of a brand plan to support Nike’s contacts commitment to the core of Skateboarding and Snowboarding (potentially surf in the future) • Ability to infl uence • Execute pan-European brand initiatives that cement Nike’s action sports brands within the core • At least 5 years in the sports industry is required The successful candidate will community • Marketing degree is a bonus • have a proven record of field and account management sales • Localize and maximize the use of assets provided by the global team where relevant • Strong verbal and written communication skills • Fluent in English, any other European language ( eg Spanish ) is a plus • be organised and extremely motivated • Build relationships with pan-European sports bodies and media partners to leverage Nike’s position within the industry • Profi cient with MS applications • have extensive experience of Winter Sports and Outdoor Sports • Highly motivated self- with hands-on mentality • have outstanding presentation skills • Support territory teams in their execution of 365 day grassroots athlete and events programs • Outgoing personality • Willingness to travel • be computer literate REQUIREMENTS • be Northern home based • Passionate about action and outdoor sports Experience: Minimum of 2 years directly relevant work experience. Industry background is a must. Can come in a variety of ways – commercial, brand, retail, rider etc. If you are an outstanding sales professional with a passion for Experience and quali cations: Education: Bachelors Degree. One of the following alternatives may be accepted: PhD or Law + 1 yr; Bachelor’s degree from four year college or university and at least the outdoors then we want to talk to you. Masters + 0-3 yrs; Associates degree + 1-3 yrs; High School + 3-5 yrs 2 years related experience and/or training Travel: Position does require a large amount of travel; visiting and creating trade shows and events. At the same time the individual will need to be comfortable working within a corporate environment of the Nike Please apply to: [email protected], also enclose office. Location: Zurich, Switzerland Contact: [email protected] your current CV stating your current salary package. Please reach out to [email protected] if your background is matching the profile. www.hellyhansen.com No Agenices Please

Die VF Gruppe zählt zu den größten Textilunternehmen weltweit. VF Germany ist unter anderem für den Vertrieb der Sport- und Outdoormarken Eastpak, JanSport, Kipling, Napapijri, Reef, The North Face und Vans sowie der Jeansmarken Lee, Wrangler und 7 For All Mankind in Deutschland zuständig.

Mode- und zielgruppengerechte Strategien sind unser Schlüssel zum Erfolg. Dauerhaftes Wachstum ist unser Ziel. Business Title: Visual Merchandiser Vans & Reef Wir brauchen daher Verstärkung und suchen Dich als Country/Location: London Visual Merchandiser (m/w) Vans & Reef Department: Marketing VANS für Deutschland und Österreich Starting date: ASAP

Die Marken Vans & Reef sind international führende Hersteller von authentischen Action-, Sport- Send application to: [email protected] und Lifestyle-Produkten.

Deine Aufgaben: Du betreust unsere eigenen Shops & Outlets sowie unsere Corner- und Key-Accounts. Du bist At Vans and Reef UK, we are looking for an experienced Visual Merchandiser. The ideal verantwortlich für die Präsentation und die Umsetzung der Marken-Images der beiden Brands sowie für die Bestandssituation der Marken am P.O.S. candidate will have a clear understanding of the action sports and lifestyle industry and in Du coachst unsere Kooperationspartner und konzeptionelles Arbeiten ist für Dich kein Fremdwort. depth knowledge of the Vans and Reef brands. Vor Ort bist Du in der Lage, individuelle Lösungen zu finden und kreativ die Markenphilosophie umzusetzen. Du hast ein gutes Gespür für Trends und Farben, bist es gewohnt strukturiert zu arbeiten und alle notwendigen Abläufe selbstständig zu organisieren. As a Visual Merchandiser looking for a new challenge, you will ensure the best presentation Dein Profil: of the Vans & Reef Brands. Using the brands’ core values and DNA to bring the product to Du verfügst über eine entsprechend abgeschlossene Ausbildung und Berufserfahrung im Bereich life in-store. Collaborating with the in-store marketing and sales teams will ensure you have Visual Merchandising. Zudem kannst Du selbständig in einem jungen Team arbeiten, bist reisefreudig und flexibel. Wenn Du über gute EDV- und Englisch-Kenntnisse verfügst, dann all the tools to be innovative and creative across the entire distribution network. würden wir Dich gerne kennen lernen. Dein Wohnort ist idealerweise der Großraum München. Coordinating the 360 retail marketing plan for VANS retail stores, to drive brand development Deine Aussichten: and sales growth in accordance with global marketing & sales strategies. Significantly Neben einer interessanten Aufgabe und einem jungen, motivierten Team erwarten Dich improve visual presence of Vans & Reef brands at retail & wholesale, increasing coverage, Sicherheiten und Sozialleistungen eines Weltunternehmens. upgrading quality perception and reflecting brand positioning and differentiation from Bitte sende Deine aussagefähige Bewerbung mit Angabe der Position, Deinem frühesten competitors. To increase real estate dedicated to the brands within key accounts, nationals, Eintrittstermin und Deiner Gehaltsvorstellung an: SIS / Concessions and core independents maintaining consistency with Vans & Reef global VF Germany Textil-Handels GmbH, z. Hd. Frau Jessica Götz, Otto-Hahn-Str. 36, visions and objectives. You will be Reporting back to the management team on the sales, 63303 Dreieich, Telefon: (0 61 03) 5 81-0, E-Mail: [email protected] promotions and merchandising being run within retail and wholesale accounts.

You’ll need excellent organisational skills, an eye for detail, a natural enthusiasm for everything you do, a flexible approach to work, and be a highly skilled communicator. Willing to travel frequently and an excellent ability to work with tight deadlines and deliver on budget.

122. www.boardsportsource.com www.boardsportsource.com 123 Surf SKATE SNOW EVENTS TRADE

February/fevvrier/Februar 30 - 3 B.A.S.E. Biarritz FRANCE TRADE WWW.base-workshop.fr 31 - 1 Pro Shop TEST Monta BONDONE ITALY TRADE WWW.proshoptest.com 31 - 2 Snow Baw TOUR READING UK Trade TBC 30 - 6 Engadin SNOW St. Moritz Switzerland SNOW WWW.engadinsnow.com 31 - 5 Burton Canada open CALGARY CANADA SNOW WWW.opensnowboarding.com 2 - 3 Ski test TOUR Serre CHEVELIAR FRANCE TRADE WWW.sportair.fr 3 - 5 Terminal 2 COPENHAGEN Denmark TRADE WWW.cphvision.dk 5 Billabong Air & style INNSBRUCK AUSTRIA SNOW WWW.air-style.com 6 - 9 ISPO MUNCHEN GERMANY TRADE WWW.ispo.com 12 Nike 6.0 Air & STYLE MUNCHEN GERMANY SNOW WWW.air-style.com 12 Bowl a RAMA WELLINGTON SKATE WWW.bowlarama.com.au 12 - 13 Boutique Frash Show STOCKHOLM SWEDEN TRADE WWW.boutiquefrash.com/ 13 - 18 Oakley Arctic Challenge OSLO NORWAY SNOW WWW.t-a-c.no 19 Bowl a RAMA BONDI Australia SKATE WWW.bowlarama.com.au 21 - 23 SLIDE TELFORD UK TRADE WWW.slideuk.co.uk 26 - 9 qUIKSILVER PRO Gold COAST Australia SURF WWW.aspworldtour.com 27 - 10 Roxy PRO Gold COAST Australia SURF WWW.aspworldtour.com March/Mars/März 11 Billabong flaunt it Waterville VALLEY USA SNOW WWW.billabong.com/flauntit 14 - 16 Sport-ACHAT LYON FRANCE TRADE WWW.sportair.fr 16 - 18 X Games EUROPE TIGNES FRANCE SNOW WWW..go.com 17 - 20 qUIKSILVER Snow Jam SPINDLERUV Czech Republic SNOW WWW.snowjam.cz 24 - 27 Battery CATFIGHT LEVI FINLAND SNOW WWW.girlsessions.com 25 - 27 X OVERRIDE KitzSTEINHORN AUSTRIA SNOW WWW.x-over.at 25 Swag pipe JAM TRYVANN NORWAY SNOW WWW.swag.no 27 Norway NATIONALS TRYVANN NORWAY SNOW WWW.snowboardforbundet.no April/Avril/April 1, Norway NATIONALS TRYSIL NORWAY SNOW WWW.snowboardforbundet.no 2 Chill & Destroy final Hintertuxer Gletscher AUSTRIA SNOW WWW.chillanddestroy.com 6 - 10 Protest World Rookies ISCHGL AUSTRIA SNOW WWW.worldsnowboardfederation.org 9 Stubai JAM TIROL AUSTRIA SNOW WWW.quiksilver-wirschanzen.de 19 - 30 VICTORIA Australia SURF WWW.aspworldtour.com 24 - 26 Total fight freestyle GRANDVALIRA ANDORRA SNOW WWW.totalfightmasters.com 27 - 1 Adventure & Extreme Show SOFIA BULGARIA TRADE WWW.bulgarreklama.com May/Mai/Mai 1 - 11, Billabong Rio PRO Rio de JANEIRO BrazIL SURF WWW.aspworldtour.com June/Juin/Juni 19 - 23 B.A.S.E. SUMMER Biarritz FRANCE TRADE WWW.base-workshop.fr July 6 - 8 Bread & BUTTER BERLIN GERMANY TRADE WWW.breadandbutter.com 10 - 14 Women's Biarritz FRANCE SURF WWW.aspworldtour.com August 16 - 17 HUB BRISTOL UK TRADE WWW.hubtradeshow.com

all the latest events can be found on our website - www.boardsportsource.com

124. www.boardsportsource.com one eyed monster 51

ROCK-ON SNOWBOARD TOUR (photos by Nicolas Lafay & mysnowboarding.fr)

Nico Droz (Homies) & Tery Droz Hadrien Durand (Like That) Gaylord Pedretti (Like That) Gaston Pluton & Gunther Love (Pull In) Franck Pedretti (B.Side Prod)

Gerome Mathieu Karim Pelisser Victor Daviet Mathieu Crepel (Pro Snowboarder Nike 6.0 & Apo) (Imperium Snowboards) (Pro Snowboardeur Rip Curl) (Pro Snowboarder Quiksilver)

Gaylord Pedretti, organiser, Alex (Flow Snowboards) Gaetan Demard Vicci Miller Germain Renier Sam Zartarian Rock On Snowboard Tour (Salomon Snowboard) (Pro Snowboarder Oakley) (Ride Snowboards) (Serre Che Snow)

World Snowboard Day

Burton, China Korea Russia

Chile France (Lioran) France (Manigod) Turkey USA (Mountain Creek) USA (Thunder Ridge)