Special Report: Boardshort Category Comes to Life

SESO takes an in-depth look at the boardshort category, and talks to a wide variety of brands and retailers about the styles and innovation that appear to be driving a boardshort revival after several years of stagnation.

Published: June 25, 2025By Tiffany Montgomery

Clockwise from top left: Quiksilver's Mercury boardshort collection; Cruz Fry, 15, surfing in the Maldives this summer in extra-long boardshorts; Florence's Cordura boardshort, which retailers report is selling well; O'Neill is investing in innovation, and is launching a major new boardshort style next spring with seven years of R&D behind it. Photos courtesy of Quiksilver, the Fry family, Florence, and O'Neill.

Talk to any surf apparel brand, and they will tell you boardshorts are the hallmark category for the surf industry.

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Posted in: Executive Edition

Tagged with: Billabong, Florence, O'Neill, Quiksilver, VISSLA