Category: Surfing

Retail Round-up: Billabong Plunges as TPG Pulls Bid; Fast Retailing, a.k.a. Uniqlo Takes a Hit

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After two crucial months of due diligence and negotiations, the private equity firm TPG has pulled its bid for taking over the beleaguered surf brand Billabong. Immediately, shares dropped to 82 cents. According to City Index chief market analysis Peter Esho, Billabong’s future is not looking good. “What we’re seeing today in the market is […]

Fall Youth Culture Study Reveals New Spending Patterns, Inspired DIY Trends and Market Opportunities, Plus Sustainability Trends, Fashion, Sneaker Culture, Action Sports, More

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Fresh research and analysis released today from Label Networks’ 13th Fall Youth Culture Study reveals where shifts in the youth marketplace and various declines have also created new opportunities across a range of industries, such as fashion, technology, sports, electronics, music, entertainment, non-profits, sustainability issues, among others, based on new consumer insights among 13-25-year-olds across […]

Hurley/Nike Pull-out of U.S. Open of Surf Sponsorship for 2013 and Future—Pushing for Greater Connection to Youth Culture

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When Shop-Eat-Surf scooped Transworld Business yesterday on the big action sports news that Hurley, and therefore Nike, decided to no longer sponsor the mega-surf event, the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA, the responses to answers were of course remarkably similar. But there’s more beneath the surface. In the Shop-Eat-Surf story, Tiffany Montgomery […]

Kelly Slater, 40, Claims 50th ASP Surfing Title at Hurley Pro Trestles

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As incredible as it seems, Kelly Slater, the 11-time ASP World Champion of surfing, has once again claimed another Association of Surfing Professional World Championship Tour event, the 6th out of 10 this season, yesterday, September 20, 2012, at the Hurley Pro at Trestles, CA. Beating out Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, in clean three-to-five foot […]

Action Sports Round-up: Shaun White Busted in Nashville; Rip Curl Seeking Potential Investors

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Two-time Olympic snowboarding gold medalist and X Games skateboarding gold medalist Shaun White was busted on Monday, September 17, 2012 for charges of public intoxication and vandalism at Loews Vanderbilt Nashville hotel. According to a police report and related story from the Associated Press, police came to Loews Vanderbilt Hotel at 2 a.m. on Sunday […]

Capsule Vegas Brings High-end Heritage, Surf, Adventure, and Denim to the Forefront

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Capsule is a trade show that continues to have a strong following among brands that could loosely be classified as upper urbanwear, or high-end contemporary from a wide range of locations ranging from northern Europe to Japan to the USA. During the trade show season earlier this month, Capsule’s Vegas show featured a unique selection […]

Frenemies: If Quiksilver Bought Billabong, Would That Be Weird?

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While TPG continues to work on plans for possibly acquiring Billabong, Quiksilver’s 20% shareholder Rhone Capital, a private equity firm, may be checking it out too. According to a recent story in Transworld Business, via The Australian, there’s another interested party in the Billabong crisis, which is Rhone Capital. This sounds very rumor-like, but an […]

Magic, S.L.A.T.E, Street, Workroom, and Project Fashion Trade Shows Illustrate Dichotomy of Styles from Americana, Vintage, Heritage, to Prep Pastels, Neon Ravewear, Skate Influences, and Distinct Denim

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Story and Photos by Kathleen Gasperini and Tom Wallace From August 20-24, 2012, Las Vegas, NV becomes the hotbed for fashion industry players as thousands of fashionistas, buyers, retailers, and media gather from every genre of fashion, footwear, and accessories within the global landscape. Despite the lingering economic global hardship, it was clear that orders […]

The New Tribes of Skateboarding: A Fractured Industry Opens Doors to New Styles, Brands, and Streetwear Crossovers in the State of Skate

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With more than 350 people packing the Mandalay Bay conference room for Label Networks presentation “Action Sports and Streetwear: Youth Culture Influences Creating New Platforms Across Industries” at MAGIC/S.L.A.T.E./Project fashion trade shows on August 20, 2012, it confirmed that there are many brands and retailers with questions and ideas about the changing state of action […]

Label Networks to Present at MAGIC: “Action Sports and Streetwear Crossover: How Youth Culture’s Latest Lifestyle Influences Are Creating a New Platform for Both Industries”

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We’re honored to be asked to present once again at the MAGIC/Project/S.L.A.T.E./Pool Fashion Trade shows on August 20, 2012 at 3 p.m. in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Conference room on one of our favorite crossover topics, Action Sports and Streetwear. Presentation Description: Many changes have taken place in street and youth culture fashion […]