Mosaic Flower on your right

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La Jolla Group Names New President And CFO

The La Jolla Group—the apparel and accessories licensee of O’Neill, …Lost, Rusty, and The Metal Mulisha in the U.S.—announced today that it has hired Bill Bussiere as its President and CFO.

Bussiere resigned from Quiksilver last week. He joined Quiksilver in 1998 as senior vice president of Quiksilver Wintersports and Mervin Manufacturing. His left Quiksilver as CFO of the Americas region, and also acted as global CFO of DC Shoes durning his tenure.

Here’s the press release:

Irvine, CA (January 28, 2009) – The La Jolla Group today announced that it has appointed Bill Bussiere as its President and Chief Financial Officer. Bussiere will report to Toby Bost, Chief Executive Officer, and will be based out of the La Jolla Group offices in Irvine, California. The addition of Bussiere solidifies the La Jolla Group’s commitment to become the leading provider of action sports apparel and to continue to grow its roster of top brands that includes O’Neill Clothing, Lost Clothing, Metal Mulisha Clothing and Rusty Clothing. In his new role Bussiere will be a key component in the day-to-day operations of the Company and will assist with the oversight of the top-level strategic path of the La Jolla Group.

“We are excited to add Bill to the La Jolla executive team,” said Bost. “This is a move to seriously strengthen our executive portfolio. The knowledge Bill has acquired about how to build and sustain a growth company is very valuable to the La Jolla Group. Bill has been on a ride with a company from 150 million to over a billion in sales during his prior work experience. Those experiences both positive and negative will help shape the future of the La Jolla Group’s growth path.”

Bussiere comes to the Company with an extensive resume in the action sports and apparel industries, having served 11 years at Quiksilver in multiple executive capacities, and most recently as the Chief Financial Officer for the Americas. He also has held leading executive roles at DC Shoes as the Global CFO, Pour Le Babe Inc., Apparel Ventures Inc., and Patagonia.

“I’m very excited to be joining the La Jolla Group which has four of the top brands in the industry,” said Bussiere. “The La Jolla Group has developed a strong multi brand business model and the financial future of the company is solid. I look forward to working with Toby and the executive team as we continue to grow each brand to its full potential, while keeping our eyes on the horizon for future opportunities. In this macroeconomic environment, I believe the La Jolla Group is positioned for great achievements.”

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PacSun will trim its inventory and lay off more workers

Pacific Sunwear announced today that it is trimming inventory levels by at least 20 percent throughout the chain and eliminating 11 percent of its workforce by cutting 57 positions in Anaheim and field management. It is also cutting its capital expenditures to $30 million as it works to consolidate costs and meet current economic conditions.

The moves come after Anaheim-based PacSun last year closed and sold its Anaheim distribution center and closed all 234 of its 1000 Steps and demo store and eliminated jobs at those sites.

Other retailers and restaurants announced job cuts today, including Starbucks and teen retailer Wet Seal. Quiksilver announced it was eliminating 200 positions Monday.

Here's Pacific Sunwear's full press release.

Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc. (Nasdaq:PSUN) today announced a number of cost reduction actions aimed at strengthening the Company's operational and financial position in fiscal 2009. In anticipation of a continuing difficult economic environment in the coming year, the Company has:

* Reduced planned inventory levels by at least 20 percent throughout the year, thereby significantly reducing the amount of cash that will be invested in inventory at any one point in time;

* Reduced planned capital expenditures to not more than $30 million for the year, a reduction of over $50 million from the fiscal 2008 level; and

* Reduced planned selling, general and administrative expenses on a GAAP-basis by approximately $35 million versus the fiscal 2008 level (2008 includes total non-recurring impairment charges for goodwill and the Anaheim distribution center of approximately $15 million). These reductions are most prominently within headquarters and field management expenses.

Taking these factors into account, the Company currently expects to maintain sufficient borrowing availability for the foreseeable future under its $150 million revolving credit facility. The credit facility expires in 2013 and contains no financial covenants unless the Company is drawn to the last 10 percent of the credit facility. The Company also currently expects to begin fiscal 2009 with cash balances of at least $20 million and no borrowing-based debt.

As part of the reduction in selling, general and administrative expenses, the Company announced a workforce reduction resulting in the elimination of 47 positions at the Company's Anaheim headquarters and 10 field management positions. This action reduces the Company's headquarters and field management staff by approximately 11 percent.

The Company expects to incur pre-tax severance charges of approximately $1.5 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 ending January 31, 2009 in connection with the workforce reduction. The Company estimates this action will result in pre-tax savings of approximately $5 million per year beginning in fiscal 2009, which begins February 1, 2009.

"The actions announced today are aimed at putting our Company in a stronger position to weather the continuing challenges in the macroeconomic environment while enabling us to continue moving forward with the key strategic initiatives we have underway," said Sally Frame Kasaks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are very disappointed to announce the workforce reductions, but believe we must be prudent in managing our costs and strengthening our balance sheet and liquidity as we meet head-on the unprecedented conditions that the retail industry is currently facing."

About Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc.

Pacific Sunwear is a leading lifestyle specialty retailer rooted in the youth culture and fashion vibe of Southern California. The Company sells casual apparel with a limited selection of accessories and footwear designed to meet the needs of teens and young adults. As of January 3, 2009, the Company operated 811 PacSun stores and 126 PacSun Outlet stores for a total of 937 stores in 50 states and Puerto Rico. PacSun's website address is www.pacsun.com.

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Quiksilver and VF Stocks Jump On Rumors of DC Deal

Citi group retierated a buy recommendation on Quiksilver (ZQK) saying “VFC may be close to acquiring skate brand DC Shoes from Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK), according to WWD reports on Friday. We think this could be a positive acquisition for four reasons:
1) The brand fits well within VFC’s newly created Action Sports Americas coalition, and we think there are opptys to create synergies w/ its Vans & Reef brands, 2) VFC will leverage its global sourcing and distribution to further grow the brand like previous acquisitions; 3) VFC is likely to get an attractive price as a result of market valuations and ZQK’s balance sheet; and 4) We think the deal would be slightly accretive, w/out impacting VFC’s dividend or our est. of ~$200M in repurchases for FY09.”

“Short-Term Potential Positive for ZQK, But Long-Term Impact Uncertain — The possible cash infusion for ZQK is important as the company needs to refinance its short-term debt, including $167 million which is uncommitted, and a $72 million facility due to mature in March 2009. However, with the possible sale of DC, we think Quiksilver could be losing its growth crown jewel.”
Quiksilver is currently up $.75 and VF $1.85 on the day.

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DC executives stay focused on plan

Relentlessly focusing on its five-year business plan to grow to $500 million in sales by 2010 allowed DC to nearly reach that goal in three years. It ended 2008 with $465 million in sales.

Focusing on the plan helped global sales grow 28 percent in 2008, including 26 percent in the U.S., despite the doom-and-gloom economic forecast, said Global President Nick Adcock and Mark Miller, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Americas.

Now, with parent company Quiksilver reviewing its strategic options and rumors about DC's future swirling, DC and its team is focusing on what it can control - the plan.

Nick and Mark outlined for me at ASR their plan to drive sales of DC in 2009 and their long-term vision for the company.
Brand halo

DC presented the 2009 integrated marketing and product plan to retailers in detail at ASR. At each sales station, a computer monitor played a presentation that outlined the far-reaching marketing initiatives and related product DC has planned for the year. All are designed to drive business for retailers, Mark said.

Two DC athletes have new shows on MTV this year: Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory and Travis Pastrana's Nitro Circus. (Annual sales grew 56 percent the last time a DC athlete had a show on MTV). DC has packaged the products the two wear on their shows for retailers to carry in their stores. So a kid who wants to wear the same shoes as Rob Dyrdek can walk right into a store and buy them.

Other "product pacts" have been developed around DC founder Ken Block, who has turned into a Rally car star. A recent online video of him driving drew 15 million views in 45 days. A "Gold Standard" product pact relates to DC's plan to take over the Standard Hotel again during the X Games in the summer, and bring in retailers, athletes and contest winners from retail stores for several days of parties and events. Plus, there are new commercials for Fuel TV and MTV 2 featuring DC snowboarders.

"We are going for a brand halo," Mark said.

At trade shows, Mark said sales reps show each retailer the video presentation before any talk of orders takes place so retailers are clear about how DC plans to drive people to their stores.

The strategy is working, Mark said. DC picked up 40 new accounts at Surf Expo, and retailers are saying the same thing: "We need to carry stuff that people buy. ... We want what sells," he said.

The push appeared to work at ASR as well. Mark said two major retailers each boosted their DC orders by double digits, even though their overall buying plans were down. The booths were busy when I was there.

Ready to do business

Nick said DC was happy to be upstairs at ASR, away from the handshaking and back slapping that goes on in the aisles downstairs. DC had five rooms at the show, including one just for PR reps to talk about products with the media and another for "at once" orders. With five rooms, each part of the DC team had the space to get its work done, Mark said.

"We are communicating the sense, ‘We are here to do business,' " he said. "And we set ourselves up so we can do business."

DC added the "at once" room last September when it became clear that some retailers were cautious about future orders because of the slowing economy.

"We adapted to what customers want," Nick said.

At ASR, the room showed a wide range of products and DC offered an "at-once" incentive for retailers, which helped retailers boost their margins. Orders were entered into the system at the show and shipped immediately from DC's warehouse, often arriving at the stores before the retailers got home from the shows. By entering the orders live, products that sold out could be pulled from the display shelves at the show so availability was accurate.

Nick said DC did enough business in the "at-once" room in September to practically fund its entire show expenses.

Nick said he doesn't care much about all the hand wringing about trade shows these days.

"As long as the retailer is here, we will be here," he said.
Prepared sales force

Another area where DC is prepared to do business no matter the climate is its sales force, Nick and Mark said. DC put its entire sales force through a two-year boot camp that included training on selling, presentations, general business acumen and other topics.

The sales team "graduated" in November, at the height of the current economic crisis. The timing couldn't have been better, Mark said.

"Nobody panicked. Everybody was analytical about how they looked at problems," he said. And, the sales staff, which includes about 42 sales reps and executives, hasn't had any turnover.
The future

Nick said his team is focused on its plan and where it wants to go no matter the other issues going on.

The plan has been adjusted a bit because of the economy, of course - more on the SG&A side than revenue side - to be fiscally responsible, Nick said.

But DC is charging ahead with its global growth push and its vision, which is to be an action sports generalist. That means becoming a player in all categories and all sports in the action sports world.

"We are challenging ourselves in a different realm," he said.

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Bond Outerwear welcomes TJ Schneider to the family.

Bond Outerwear welcomes TJ Schneider to the family.
Bond Outerwear announces addition of TJ Schneider to the family.

January 25, 2009

Bond Outerwear is proud to announce the addition TJ Schneider to the family. TJ can be found wandering the globe this winter riding Bond Outerwear and working on The Snowboard Realms, which you can check out at tjschneider.com or on iTunes.

"We could'nt be happier to have TJ on the team. His level of dedication to the sport even beyond riding makes this a great relationship," states Dan McNamara, Co-Founder of Bond. "From his Snowboard Realms project, to his art, to his input on product and design, it is clear he shares the same passion and drive that we do for all aspects of snowboarding."

"I was super into the direction and story of the brand when I first heard about Bond, and I am stoked to get more involved with the company and help get it going." TJ adds, "the possibilities are endless."

Bond utilizes a top down sustainability model in its operations, and is a carbon neutral company. From the loom to your room, Bond looks to be a new model of sustainability for the snowboard industry.

Bond will produce a limited edition series of product that will be available at select retailers globally for the upcoming 2010 season beginning in July of 2009.

More information regarding news, team and product updates can be found by checking http://www.bondsnowboarding.com regularly.

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Gigi Rüf On Union Bindings

Union Binding Company is proud to announce the addition of TWS and Snowboarder Magazine Rider Of The Year top pick and all-around Austrian wild man Gigi Rüf.

Explosive execution and an undeniable eccentricity mark the riding of this Arlberg-born talent, not to mention prolific output. During the 2008 season, Rüf managed to film three video parts (Absinthe, Burton, and The Pirates) while many riders were hard-pressed to lay down one, in addition to scoring numerous magazine covers at publications worldwide. Gigi brings rare talent and originality to the Union Binding Family.

Says Rüf about the deal, “As soon as I strapped into the Contact binding, I knew Union was something special. Comfortable, reliable, super lightweight, and amazing performance, Union is the perfect binding for me!”
And according to Union Binding Company Team Manager George Kleckner, “This is really big for us, as we’re all huge fans of Gigi’s snowboarding. Considering the momentum of the Union brand, and where Gigi is in his young career, it’s a perfect fit.”

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Street O-M-E-N

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Poop

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Grey Sky Black Clothes

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YES Snowboards Launches At SIA

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Chevy Pulls Plug On U.S. Snowboarding/Grand Prix Sponsorship

With all of the problems facing Detroit it came as no real surprise to learn that Chevrolet has pulled its long running title partnership of US Snowboarding and the Grand Prix contest circuit after 12 years.

“They were a great partner that provided huge support to the Grand Prix series and U.S. Snowboarding,” says U.S. Snowboarding Program Director Jeremy Forster. “We have been fortunate to have many long time partners involved in the Grand Prix including Sprint (who was the presenting sponsor for Copper and also for Killington), Visa (presenting sponsor at Boreal), Paul Mitchell (title of the Paul Mitchell Progression Sessions), Nature Valley, Yahoo, and Bud Light. We have also added new sponsors X-Box, Go211, Avis, Delta, and Sorel to the Grand Prix events this season.”

Forster adds that they are currently looking for a new title sponsor to take Chevy’s place as they gear up for the 2010 Olympics.

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Josh Sherman joins Omatic Pro Team

© Jeff Blotto's Photo
(Josh Sherman )

Josh Sherman joins Omatic Pro Team

Omatic and Josh Sherman are feeling the "change"‏

Encinitas, CA - Omatic Snowboards is proud to announce super ninja Josh Sherman to the Omatic pro team. This Wisconsin native relocated to Breckenridge, CO in 2004 where he continued to sharpen his ninja skills and samurai swords. Not only can Josh do round house nose tap flipity-doos but he can also shred the s#!+ out of a snowboard.

"Getting put on the Omatic team is the best thing that's ever happened to me. They have the best team, and now I can have Todd make fun of me full time. I have so much I want to do in snowboarding. They are the best boards I've ever ridden, and nothing from before even touches what its like riding an Omatic." - Josh Sherman

Josh has landed exposure in every major shred magazine along with the cover of the 2007 Transworld Buyers Guide.

You can check out Sherman along with fellow Omatic team rider Mike Casanova in Pirate Production's new flick "Overseas"

In addition to his annual Pee Wee Sherman Rail Jam, and breaking bricks with his bare hands. Josh will be hitting the Canadian Open, Dew Tour @ Northstar, Grand Prix, U.S. Open, New Zealand Open, Australian Open and a slew of other rad contests.

Josh on his Pee Wee Sherman Rail Jam:

"Putting this contest on for my home mountain rocks. I love it. I get to see all my friends from back home, we have a good time and don't make this some do or die contest, it's a really fun day. And now that we teamed up with Active, it's open to all ages. This year is gonna be better then watching Rosie O'Donnell bike up-hill in a one piece spandex suit, sweating in tropical heat on a fixed gear."

Josh's Sponsors consist of Omatic Snowboards, Smith Optics, Drop, Elm Headwear, and Breckenridge Resort.

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Blow your mind

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Bonfire Launches Boots In 2009!

Bonfire Snowboarding announced today that it will be launching a line of boots at SIA for the 2009/10 season. The project is a collaboration with Salomon Snowboards and coincides with Bonfire’s 20th anniversary.

According to the press release:

Bonfire’s design team has harnessed the power of Salomon’s world-leading boot development group to create two men’s boots and two women’s boots that feature custom fit foam and utilize the finest quality materials in the boot industry.

“I’ve wanted to make Bonfire boots for a long time,” said Bonfire Founder Brad Steward. “The colors, design details are on point – and the fit and performance are exactly what you would expect from a collab with Salomon’s Italian boot team.”

The Men’s Bolt boot will retail for $219 and features a soft feel liner built around a legendary last. Custom fit foam allows for heat moldable customization at the shin and forefoot area.

The Men’s Blaze boot brings the heat to the street. Straight out-of-the-box comfort, a quick lace liner and thick cushioning EVA soles make the Blaze shred-ready. It will retail in select shops for $199.

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Bonfire Boots Preview from Bonfire Snowboarding on Vimeo.

VF Announces New Coalition Leadership Roles

Greensboro, N.C. - VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), announced a new coalition leadership structure designed to enhance our focus on growth in our outdoor, action sports and international businesses. As a result, three leaders are assuming new roles as coalition presidents, effective February 1.

"VF's Outdoor coalition has enjoyed significant success over the past five years, achieving scale in both the outdoor and action sports industries. To align our coalition structure to best capture future opportunities in these industries, we are replacing the Outdoor Americas coalition with two separate coalitions: Outdoor Americas and Action Sports Americas," announced Eric Wiseman, VF's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Steve Rendle, currently the President of The North Face, one of VF's fastest-growing brands, has been promoted to President of VF's Outdoor Americas coalition. In his new role he will be responsible for the continued expansion of The North Face(R), JanSport(R) and Eagle Creek(R) brands. Rendle, 49, joined The North Face in 1999 and has been a key leader behind the successful growth of the business since its acquisition by VF in 2000. He also has held leading sales management roles at both Youngone Corporation and W.L. Gore and Associates prior to joining The North Face. He will continue to be based in San Leandro, California.

Stephen Murray, currently President of Vans, which has also shown tremendous growth since being acquired by VF in 2004, has been promoted to President - Action Sports Americas coalition. Murray, 48, will lead the continued growth and development of the Vans(R) and Reef(R) brands. Murray has been with Vans since 1998, when he served as Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President International. Prior to joining Vans, Murray was Vice President of global apparel at Reebok. Murray will continue to be based in Cypress, California.

Rendle and Murray will both report to Wiseman. As a result of these moves, Dave Gatto, President - VF Outdoor Americas, will be leaving the company. "Dave has been a strong leader of our Outdoor Americas coalition. We thank Dave for his many accomplishments over his 4 years with VF and wish him the very best in his future endeavors," said Wiseman.

In addition, to further support the continued growth of its international business, VF has promoted Martino Scabbia Guerrini, 44, currently President - VF International Sportswear and Packs, to President - Sportswear and Contemporary Brands EMEA coalition, another new VF coalition. In addition to continuing to lead the Kipling(R), Napapijri(R) and Eastpak(R) brands, which have enjoyed superior growth in recent years, he will also oversee the expansion of the 7 For All Mankind(R) brand in EMEA. Prior to joining VF in 2006, Scabbia Guerrini held executive positions with Bruno Magli SpA and TOD's SpA. He will continue to be based in Lugano, Switzerland, reporting to Karl Heinz Salzburger, President - VF International.

"These moves recognize the superior performance of our outdoor brands and our confidence in continuing our strong international momentum," said Wiseman. "Each of these outstanding leaders is a key contributor to the success of VF's growth plan, and I am confident in their ability to manage through these turbulent times to ensure the long-term success of our businesses."

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686 & New Balance Partner On Boot/Outerwear Line

686’s Kristin Cusic and Mike West

Launching a new product category is never easy. Even entrenched brands with strong recognition and reputations can struggle with serious R&D investments, going outside their area of expertise and the perception that new gear is often fraught with problems. One way to mitigate this issue is to team up with a partner that knows the market sector you’re getting into. Enter the fledgling 686/New Balance boot and outerwear collaboration for 2009/10; product categories that both brands have been interested in pursuing. We sat down with 686’s President and Creative Director Mike West and VP of Marketing Kristin Cusic and New Balance’s Global General Manager, New Balance Lifestyle Joe Casagrande to find out more about the line, the launch, and its timing.

TWB: Can you give me a little history on the partnerships with New Balance?

Mike West: Besides doing the snow thing for the past 16-1/2 years, I’ve been running all my life and have mainly used New Balance shoes. In addition, I’ve been collecting sneakers for just as long. This has given me a broad sense of what performs and what looks good in footwear. 686 was built upon quality and progressive product design. We’re also one of the last remaining independently rider owned and operated brands. New Balance shares similar traits in quality workmanship and technical fits. It’s also the largest privately held global footwear company. I wanted to combine the two and be able to produce something that’s relative and has meaning in the snow world.

Joe Casagrande: 686’s dedication as a core brand in snowboarding and their dedication to product performance, aesthetics, and quality are what make this a natural partnership. New Balance has never really done anything in action sports, so Mike and the 686 crew is navigating the waters for us here. Similar to New Balance, 686 is an independent, directional, and authentic brand that has had success over the years, but has not become overly hyped or too commercial.

TWB: What products will you be making with NB? How would you describe the offerings?

MW: The Winter 2009-2010 collection consists of boots, footwear, outerwear and related accessories. The entire line was designed entirely off the history of the new Balance 580 shoe. From its’ origins in the mid 90’s as a trail running sneaker, to the special partnerships between iconic Japanese brands; the 580 has become a global object of obsession. It features timeless design qualities, premium materials and technological advances in footwear, which is exactly what we were driven to achieve with the collaboration.

TWB: Why did you decide to launch into hardgoods at this juncture?

MW: We know softgoods really well. We’ve weathered many storms to understand what it takes to produce a quality product on all levels. At the same time, we’ve always had our eye on what else makes sense for us. I never want to force something that I cannot support or I’m not personally passionate about. My goal is to strengthen the areas where 686 is best and get the right people, or in this case, the right brand, to assist us in the areas we’re not as strong in.

For me, footwear is the “base” of anything. It’s kind of kooky, but since I’m into sneakers, I start at the “base” and work my way up from what else I’m going to rock. Our transition into footwear seems natural, but it was incredibly important for us to partner up with someone with strength and understanding in the footwear market. It’s also important to mention that 686 will have total global control of this partnership in the board sports arena; from design to sales to marketing. New Balance is here to support us in technical knowledge and production capabilities. They want to make it work just as much as we do.

TWB: How would you describe the new line of boots both aesthetically and functionally?

MW: The boots are directly inspired off the 580 sneaker. It’s easier said than done when you want to make a shoe into a fully functional snowboarding boot. Most shoe inspired boots simply don’t work the best in bindings. Fortunately enough, the silhouette of the 580 works much better. Our goal from beginning to end was to make a great boot. With the BOA® FOCUS system (with the new colored coil program) as well as Recco® avalanche technology alongside New Balance’s patented Rollbar® and Abzorb® systems; this boot is nothing short of insane. The next goal was to make it look fresh. I think we’ve achieved both.

TWB: What will the price range be?

MW: We’re only introducing one boot style, which is called the 580, in two colorways, Black Plaid and White Plaid. The final price is to be determined, but it’s around the $300 retail mark.

TWB: Why does the snowboard market need a new boot brand right now? What’s your niche with these boots?

MW: If you’re looking for something entirely new backed by one of the world’s best footwear companies AND an independently rider owned and operated snowboard company that’s committed to perform, then this is the boot for you. As we develop the line, everything we do will be inspired off iconic New Balance shoe styles, which speaks to a new as well as our existing customer base. In conjunction, the collection will be backed by the 686 quality and technical progression stamp of approval. It’s something that’s never been done before and hopefully a progression that will be welcomed by the consumer

TWB: Will they be distributed through your current chain?

MW: The 686 and New Balance collection will cater to 686’s top tier specialty level. We’ll also be working with some of New Balances Tier Zero accounts to make sure it’s done right across the board.

TWB: Do you have a team on these boots yet, or is it still too early?

Kristin Cusic: It’s a little too early to announce our plans as far as athletes and promotions, so you’ll just have to wait and see what’s coming. The first priority is to get the word out and keep people fired up about the collection.

TWB: Describe your marketing plan for the line.

KC: We’re keeping it very tight the first year and retailers carrying the collection will be top tier. Marketing initiatives are going to be divided into a few different levels of support, but our main focus will be on viral initiatives, in-store POP and a few limited edition surprises. We also want to make sure that there are a number of key people riding in the boots and rocking the sneakers on a daily basis, getting the word out about the collection through actual product testing.

TWB: Any plans at the moment to expand into other categories?

MW: Not at the moment. It’s taken us 16 and a half years to be able to consider and prep another category outside apparel. We want to make sure we perfect this before we move elsewhere.

TWB: What are you most excited about for the new line?

MW: I’m personally stoked as it’s another chance where I can do what I love, which is creating new products and technologies. Hopefully this collection gives the retailer and the rider something that’s fun, exciting and most of all, different.

KC: For me, that initial reaction of the industry and our accounts when they are given a chance to ride in the boots is going to be the most exciting. The entire partnership is such a step forward for us, and is a true collaboration of two brands from opposite worlds, so I’m thinking the most prolific moments of the project will come alongside that initial, “You guys did whaaaaat? Let me try a pair!”

Transworld

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Jake Burton Carpenter Episodes On VBS.TV Powder & Rails

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TRUST NOBODY IN BARCELONA

Trust Nobody - Barcelona from DigitalGravel.com on Vimeo.

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Quiksilver Corporate Stores in Canada Outperforming US

During a conference discussing its financials with analysts, Quiksilver executives commented they was seeing better business in corporate retail in Canada compared to the US. Speaking about the US corporate retail market,an executive stated, “I think as the environment has deteriorated and the currencies have changed, there's been a big hit in tourist markets. Hawaii has been compressed, New York has been compressed. We are seeing a bit better business in Canada at retail, and I believe also on a wholesale and a retail basis, Latin America is holding up better, and it appears that Europe is stable. Their retail comps have stabilized.”

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Quiksilver has eliminated the job of Roxy President

Quiksilver has eliminated the job of Roxy President, Carol Christopherson. She joined the company in 2000 after a seventeen-year stint with the Millers Outpost Stores. Steve Tully will take on an expanded role as President of Wholesale Americas.

This news comes just days after the company announced the resignation of Quiksilver Americas President Marty Samuels.

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Best Soup in Town!!

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DK-YS

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DCP Signs with Northwave/Drake

© Adam Moran's Photo
(DCP at Valdez, AK)

Northwave North America (NNA) is proud to announce that David Carrier Porcheron has signed a two year contract to ride on Northwave boots and Drake bindings. The French-Canadian has been a professional rider for the last 10+ years, working with major film productions and competing in key contests around the world.

Recently participating in a photo shoot at Brighton Resort, the whole team was able to test out the 2010 line before its release at SIA and ISPO. DCP has been riding on Northwave “Decade” snowboard boots and Drake “Super Sport” and “Czar” bindings, he quotes: “The boots are so comfy, right off the shelves, and I really love the lacing system. I am stoked to be part of the team and I am looking forward to a powdery winter to represent.”

Among his sponsors, DCP has also recently signed with The North Face and is working with friends and business partners, JP Solberg and Romain Di Marchi, to start a new board company. In addition, he is also heavily involved with Spy Optics and they will be promoting his 5th pro-model out this year.

This winter DCP will mainly focus on filming with Absinthe for their new project, but may also be involved with other film productions and participate in a few major events. When not filming or competing, David floats between Vail, CO, and Whistler, BC, where he lives with his wife and 2 year old daughter. And if that wasn’t enough travel, he also partially resides in Dominical, Costa Rica where they are building a new rental house.

With all his accomplishments, DCP has become a widely respected and influential figure in snowboarding. NNA Marketing and Team Manager, Desiree Moore says, “I’m excited to have DCP on the team because he brings so much to the table and has amazing skills. The team as a whole is cohesive and stronger than ever. I am looking forward to a great new year.” Northwave welcomes DCP as a new member on their International Pro Team.

The Northwave/Drake International Pro Team is: David Carrier Porcheron, Seth Huot, Risto Mattila, Alexis Waite, Patrick McCarthy, Matt Beardmore, Hans Ahlund and Matty Ryan.

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Quiksilver Americas President Marty Samuels Resigns

After twelve years at Quiksilver, President of the Americas Region Marty Samuels announced his resignation today, January 12. Samuels’ reason for resigning was not included in the official press release, but he did offer this statement:

“I loved every minute of my time with Quiksilver, and I wish Bob and all the great people I’ve worked with the very best of luck.”

Craig Stevenson has been named interim President of Americas Region.

Here’s the press release:

Quiksilver Americas President Marty Samuels Resigns

Company Names Craig Stevenson Interim President of Americas Region

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.–Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE: ZQK) today announced that Marty Samuels has left the company. Samuels, who most recently served the company as President of its Americas region, had been with Quiksilver for twelve years. Craig Stevenson has been named interim President of Quiksilver Americas effective immediately. Stevenson has served Quiksilver in various roles of increasing responsibility over the past sixteen years, most recently as Global President of the Quiksilver Brand and President of Quiksilver’s South Asia Pacific business based in Australia.

Robert B. McKnight, Jr., Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Quiksilver, Inc., commented, “I would like to thank Marty for his many contributions to Quiksilver over the last twelve years. Marty was instrumental to our growth during his time here, a period in which we’ve established ourselves as the leading action sports lifestyle company and we will miss him. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”

Samuels commented, “I loved every minute of my time with Quiksilver, and I wish Bob and all the great people I’ve worked with the very best of luck.”

Mr. McKnight continued, “As we work to better align our cost structure and improve the efficiency and execution of our global business, I am confident that Craig is the right person to lead the Americas team in this difficult environment. His many years of experience at Quiksilver and his intimate working knowledge of the brands, the products, the markets and our sales process uniquely qualify Craig to lead our Americas team back to our core businesses. Through his passion to ensure the authenticity and consistency of the Quiksilver brand around the world, Craig has been one of the principal contributors to our strong corporate culture. Craig has already earned the respect of his peers around the world as one of our regional Presidents and this appointment provides him with an even greater opportunity to be a deciding factor in our future success.”

Stevenson has been involved in the surf industry for 28 years and joined Quiksilver in 1992. In addition to his various operational roles including responsibilities in sales, marketing and merchandising, Stevenson was appointed to the Board of Directors of Quiksilver Australasia in 2001 and was appointed its Managing Director in 2002.

Arbor Moves Production To Elan

Arbor announced it is moving production of its snowboards from GST in northern Austria to Elan’s factory in the heart of the Austrian Alps. TWBiz spoke with Arbor Co-founder Bob Carlson this morning about the move and he’s super excited about Elan’s capabilities, young design and engineering snowboarder crew. Carlson believes their passion and creativity will help take Arbor’s technology to the next level. The move is already well under way and Arbor decks will be rolling off Elan’s presses beginning with 2010 samples.

According to the press release:

The decision was motivated by Arbor’s need to partner with the most advanced snowboard factory available. Doing so allows the company to manage an increasingly complicated use of its organic materials and eco-technologies. Only in Austria has the company found the know-how, attention to detail, advanced technologies, and unmatched material and sourcing knowledge required to create an Arbor. After careful analysis of all options, Arbor selected Elan as the best choice to handle its growing production needs.

“Elan excels at the critical development and construction capabilities that Arbor needs in order to execute on our designs,” said Bob Carlson, Arbor’s President and Co-founder. “This level of production performance is driven by the amount of investment that has been infused into Elan over the years and the leadership of Michael Kollmann, Elan Austria’s President, and the team he’s built,”

In the end, it was Elan’s management team that stood out above all else, solidifying Arbor’s decision. “I needed a factory staffed with energetic, proactive individuals. At Elan, everyone from the President, right on through the members of the R&D, product management, quality control, and graphics departments have the experience, education, motivation, and love for snowboarding that Arbor needs in order to deliver successful design progression well into the future,” said Carlson.

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National retailers released comp sale numbers for December

PacSun

Dec. comp sales: down 10 percent

Year-to-date comp sales: down 5 percent

Apparel comps: up 9 percent (88 percent of sales)

Juniors apparel comps: up 23 percent. Bullhead denim and tops were strong.

Guys apparel comps: down 2 percent. Strength in Bullhead denim, weakness in T's and fleece.

Non-apparel comps: down 61 percent (12 percent of sales).

No. of transactions: up mid-single digits

Avg. sale price: down mid teens

Inventories: Down 12 percent per square foot at end of Dec. vs. last year. PacSun will end the year with inventories down 20 percent, more than the high-single digit range previously forecast.


Liquidity: PacSun will end the year with $15 million to $20 million in cash and no direct borrowings under its credit facility.

Total stores: 937



The Buckle

December comp sales: up 13.5 percent - particularly impressive because they were up against a tough 18.7 percent comparison for December 2007.

Year-to-date comps: up 21 percent.

Girls total sales: up 26.5 percent, with strength in denim, knit tops, outerwear, accessories and footwear.

Girls price points: up 5.5 percent

Guys total sales: up 13.5 percent, with strength in denim, woven and knit shirts and outerwear.

Guys price points: up 11.5 percent

Footwear: up 8 percent

Accessories: up 20.5 percent

No. of transactions: up slightly

Avg. transaction value: up 8 percent

No of total stores: 388




American Apparel

December comps: up 3 percent

Fourth quarter comps: up 10 percent

Year-to-date comps: up 22 percent

No. of total stores: 260


Urban Outfitters

Nov/Dec comps companywide: down 1 percent

Urban Nov/Dec comps: up 3 percent



Anthropologie

Nov/Dec comps: down 6 percent



Free People

Nov/Dec comps: down 13 percent

11 months companywide comps: up 8 percent

Total No. of company stores: 293



Macy's

December comps: down 4 percent

Nov-Dec comps: down 7.5 percent, worse than the negative 1 to 6 percent forecast.

Year-to-date comps: down 4.6 percent.

Inventories: Ended December with inventories down 7.5 percent vs. last year.

Guidance: High markdowns will lead to lower gross margins. Macy's expects fourth quarter earnings of 90 cents to $1 per share vs. previous guidance of $1.10 to $1.30.

Macy's also said it would close 11 stores after its usual review of underperforming locations. Stores to close:

Ernst & Young Plaza (Citicorp Plaza), Los Angeles,
The Citadel, Colorado Springs, CO
Westminster Mall, Westminster, CO
Palm Beach Mall, West Palm Beach, FL
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, Island of Hawaii, HI
Lafayette Square, Indianapolis, IN
Brookdale Center, Brooklyn Center,
Crestwood Mall, St. Louis,
Natrona Heights Plaza, Natrona Heights,
Century III Furniture and Clearance, West Mifflin, PA
Bellevue Center, Nashville, TN

No. of stores after closings: 808 Macy's and 40 Bloomingdale's for a total of 848.



Nordstrom

Dec comps: down 10.6 percent. Said holiday sales "exceeded expectations."

Year-to-date comps: down 8.9 percent

Strong categories: women's shoes and juniors apparel

Strong regions: South and Northeast

Inventories: Will be in-line with sales trends by end of year.

Guidance: Because of markdown pressure from competitors, the company said it will not meet its previous fourth quarter earnings guidance of 35 cents to 45 cents per share.

Total No. of stores: 169



Abercrombie & Fitch

Company-wide December comps: down 24 percent

Company-wide, year-to-date comps: down 13 percent

Abercrombie & Fitch December comps: down 24 percent

Abercrombie December comps: down 29 percent

Hollister December comps: down 24 percent

Ruehl December comps: down 26 percent

Guidance: The company said an impairment charge and a tax expense will lead to fourth quarter earnings significantly below the $1 to $1.05 per share guidance.

Total No. of stores: 1,121


ICSC chain store comps

December chain store sales dropped by 1.7 percent compared to 2007, and the November-December holiday sales period comps fell by 2.2 percent vs. 2007, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers survey released this morning.

"This was an extraordinarily difficult holiday season," said Michael P. Niemira, ICSC chief economist and director of research.

ICSC surveys sales at 36 national chains.

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LG revealed watch tactile screen phone

La sud-coréenne LG a dévoilé hier en prélude au Consumer Electronics Show de Las Vegas une montre téléphone à écran tactile qui sera prête à la commercialisation d’ici la fin de l’année.

South Korean LG revealed in prelude to Consumer Electronics Show of Las Vegas a watch tactile screen phone yesterday which will be ready by the end of the year.

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Terje's down with G

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The North Face welcomes DCP to its team

DCP Joins The North Face Athlete Team
The North Face continues its big mountain legend, welcoming one of the world’s best riders to its team.

SAN LEANDRO, California — January 7, 2009 — The North Face, the world’s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, today announced snowboarder David Carrier-Porcheron, commonly known as DCP, has joined its athlete team. The North Face has a team of more than 60 professional global athletes which includes snowboarders, skiers, rock climbers, mountaineers, and endurance runners.

“DCP embodies the passion of The North Face,” said Aaron Carpenter, Vice President of Marketing for The North Face. “Not only does he inspire others to explore, he is paving the way for future generations. He pushes the envelope with his riding style, and remains rooted to his outdoor and environmental passions.”

DCP has been snowboarding for more than 18 years. He has starred in films by Kingpin, Treetop, The Gathering Collective and Mack Dawg Productions. In addition DCP has been featured on the Weather Channel’s popular show, “Epic Conditions.” Though filming is his primary focus, DCP still enjoys competition. He took third place in the 2008 Quicksilver Natural Selection: All Mountain Invitational at Jackson Hole.

A world-renowned rider, DCP has an arsenal of freestyle skills that he currently brings with him into the backcountry, where he spends most of his snowboard season.

“Change is good and very exciting,” said DCP. “It is a perfect alignment to work with a company that focuses its products on what snowboard athletes need and demand. I will be working alongside The North Face’s RD&D teams to help develop and create advanced products and collections.”

Canadian-born DCP splits his time between Squamish, British Columbia, Vail, Colorado, and Costa Rica, with his wife and daughter. An avid surfer, with the 2008 Quebec Open title (surfing) under his belt, DCP also skateboards and mountain bikes. Inspired by deep powder, big cliffs and bluebird powder days with the backcountry to himself, he takes his love of snow and outdoors and translates his passion to the environment. Committed to preserving the places he, his friends and family enjoy, DCP works to plant trees and off-set carbon footprints.

“The North Face athlete team as a whole is beyond inspiring,” said DCP. “I’m stoked to start the next chapter alongside these legendary athletes.”

For 40 years The North Face has teamed up with the world’s finest mountaineers, alpinists, climbers, skiers, snowboarders and endurance adventurers who have defined the limits of what is humanly possible. The North Face Athlete team works closely with Research, Design & Development, creating innovative designs that push new technologies and inspire cutting-edge products.

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OBAMA January 20th 2009

I was walking in a Montreal back alley in the end of november 08 and to my BIG suprised I was quite shock when I saw this writting of FUCK OBAMA.Since we are in a time of change for the better I CAN'T imagine someone having a negative mind on Barrack Obama.

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Incase has it !!

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"Bargain shoppers were out in force between Christmas and New Year's taking advantage of retailers' need to clear out seasonal merchandise. As a result weekly sales increased in the final week of the fiscal month," said Michael P. Niemira, ICSC chief economist.

"Though the weekly increase does lend some comfort to how overall sales will fare for December, ICSC Research expects comparable-store sales will decline by approximately one percent for the month," Niemira added.

ICSC and Goldman Sachs also surveyed consumers over the past weekend, and found:
• Half of consumers said they spent less on holiday gifts than in 2007.
• More than 60 percent of shoppers out during the post-holiday period were searching for deep discounts, compared to just under 50 percent in 2007.
• Gift card sales dipped, and continued a two-year decline. Sales were the lowest since 2005.
• Likewise, gift card redemptions were slower in December than last year, though consumers said they would redeem in January at a faster pace than in 2008.
Comps around the globe

It's tough everywhere, though economists in one nation reported a small bright spot. Here's a roundup of global economic updates posted today from Bloomberg News:

• In New Zealand, consumer spending rose 2.6 percent in December. Deep discounting there lifted sales, though the economy is still in recession.
• In the European Union, retail sales fell in December, marking the seventh consecutive monthly decline.
• In England, consumer sentiment declined in December, to its lowest level since 2004, when the survey began.
• In France, retail sales and consumer sentiment dropped in December, reflecting the economic slowdown. The consumer sentiment index fell nearly to a record low reached in July.

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The Wrestler

Altamont forecasting strong growth for 2009

Altamont was born three years ago when Andrew's contract with KR3W expired, Justin said. Andrew rides for Sole Tech shoe brand Emerica and told Justin there weren't a lot of options in the skateboarding world on the apparel side. They took the idea for a high-quality, stylish skate apparel line to Pierre and he loved the idea.

The mission was to create a line that reflected Andrew's fashion ethos, was not price-point driven and was created by a skate company for the core market. Sole Tech executives believe skateboarders often are driving the fashion trends but surf companies are the ones capitalizing on those trends on the apparel side.

"I always wanted to create skateboarding apparel with street fashion mixed in," Pierre said. "I knew if I brought on the right skateboarder to produce something original it would meet the demands in the marketplace. So when I met Andrew Reynolds, legendary street skater and saw his innovative fashion, I knew he could influence street skate wear and bring it to another level with Altamont. In this tough economy Altamont has exceeded our expectations in sales and is one of our fastest selling brands."
Andrew ReynoldsAndrew's vision

Andrew skates in the streets in cities around the world, and translates what he sees into his vision for Altamont, Justin said. He works closely with Altamont designer Saecha Clarke, and even shows the line to magazine editors in New York each season. A small example of Andrew's influence on the clothing is the "vampire," or pointed cuffs, on wovens. He wanted to make a line with Sole Tech because, "they are all about skateboarding and the owner is a skateboarder," he said via email.
Categories

altamont TshirtDenim is the No. 1 product category for Altamont, comprising 35 percent of sales. Altamont uses Japanese denim in its higher-end denim. Price points for Japanese denim range from $65 to $115. In spring 08, Altamont also added a basics denim range priced from $55 to $65 that has been well-received, Justin said. For fall '09, Altamont has five fits of denim. Altamont has also had good growth in wovens and T-shirts. Sole Tech searched out new factories that could produce higher-quality apparel for Altamont, which in turn elevated Sole Tech's other apparel lines, Justin said.
Doors

Altamont launched at retail two years ago with 250 domestic doors, and now is in 350. Justin said they hand-picked the accounts to debut in, because they wanted to be in stores that understood apparel and didn't shy away from higher price points. "We had to say no a lot," Justin said. "We plan to grow and evolve naturally. Eventually we may be in all of Emerica's (1,000 accounts). But we want to penetrate the accounts we are in now and grow slowly. Pierre understands how to build it right." Currently, Active is Altamont's biggest account and the brand has buildouts in 18 Active stores, Justin said. About 10 percent of Altamont's accounts are non-skateboard, streetwear boutiques.
Altamont jacketRevenue growth

Altamont sales grew 25 to 30 percent in 2008, and Justin said the still-small brand is forecasting 60 percent growth in 2009. So far, spring prebooks are above that 60 percent target, he said.
Pierre's vision for Altamont in the future

"In the next five years I want Altamont to continue to grow and inspire the core community to elevate skate wear. We are focusing on developing our customer that appreciates the quality, the fashion forward and street/skate culture that Altamont expresses and I see us growing our distribution worldwide as we follow where this customer chooses to shop. We want to be in doors where the customer embraces

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Gatorade Gets Into Action Sports; Signs Ortiz, Hollingsworth

Gatorade recently signed a multiyear deal with 14-year-old skater Chaz Ortiz, who will be the cornerstone of the sports drink company’s action sports campaign, according to a story published today on the Sports Business Journal’s Web site. The brand also signed snowboarder Ellery Hollingsworth and BMX star Nigel Sylvester.

“Gatorade’s entrance into skateboarding, snowboarding and BMX makes it the first isotonic beverage in a sports landscape dominated by energy drinks and soda brands. It will join fellow PepsiCo brand Mountain Dew in a battle for attention alongside Monster, Red Bull and Rockstar energy drinks.

Jeff Urban, Gatorade’s senior vice president of sports marketing, said the brand is developing its action sports strategy and expects to have it completed over the next five weeks.

‘We’re not ready to talk about the depth and breadth of what we’re doing, but we’re going to be invested in the sport and a bit more visible across a number of platforms,’ Urban said. ‘As a leader, we want action sports athletes to see themselves in our brand. It’s an important part of our expansion.’”

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Torgeir Bergrem joins Volcom Euro Team

Torgeir Bergrem joins Volcom Euro Team

17-year old Torgeir from Norway has been on our radar for quite a while now. Ever since our distributor up there started raving about this kid a few years back, we put him on the family team, and it didn't take him long to evolve and progress onto the Euro team.

Winning the 2008 Sweet Rumble, and getting 2nd at the 2008 Tacky Christmas Invitational is impressive enough, but what really won us over was when Torgeir jumped off a nearly 60foot cliff into a glaciar melt-off lake in shorts only.. (You can see this in the Euro Snow Family Team goes to Scandalnavia part 2 article HERE!!!)

Off snow, Torgeir seems to be a mellow kid who, kind of like a young Charles Bronson, speaks only when he deems it necessary. Even after firewater repeatedly gets thrown into the mix, Torgeir (as a stark contrast to Scandalnavians in general) chooses his words wisely.

Instead, he picks up a guitar, and does not give it any rest until the whole Scorpions catalog have resonated thru it....

In other words, a perfect rookie for the Volcom Snow Team...

Volcom cornered Torgeir over the X-mas holidays, and forced him to answer a couple of questions:

- Torgeir! Do you ever get confused with Torstein (Horgmo) since your names star with the same prefix, "Tor"?

Some people have actually asked me "ooo man, are you Torstein Horgmo??" i haven't gotten it more than a few times though, but it has always been at a party of some sort.. I think most people can tell the difference.

- Santa bring you anything nice for X-mas?

Guitar Hero world tour! So i've pretty much been rocking a fake guitar all christmas.

- Did you start the new year with a Bang?

A big one.

- What's on your schedule this winter? We know you'll be doing the Burton European Open, but have you got anything else lined up?

The BEO comes now in January, and after that nothing is 100% sure yet. I know i'll be doing my fair share of contests, and of course filming with a Norwegian film crew called Frosted films. They have a good project goin on.

- Have you got any of your riding on film out there?

Not much of the past few years, but the Frosted Films production will be published this fall, so check that out!

- When it comes to outerwear, what has been your favorite Volcom combo this winter and why?

I like the Bjorn V.Co- operative set, because I think the color comboes are supernice and the fit suits me good.

- Alright, we should finish this off... Anything else, aside from that fact that you snowboard and play guitar better than most, you'd ABSOLUTELY like the readers to know about?



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