Quiksilver Trends for Spring '17

As Quiksilver prepares for Spring ’17, we spoke with Garry Wall, Quiksilver Global Brand Manager, to learn what is next for the brand.

What’s new for spring?

Garry Wall:  The introduction of Diamond Deluxe fabric into our boardshort line.

It is created using optimum stretch memory from a double weave construction featuring a mini diamond interior fabric that is fast drying, promotes airflow and limits surface area against the skin.

What is the most important product story for Spring?

Garry Wall:  Boardshorts, no question. For Quiksilver it is about building on our four key franchise styles: the Arch, the Scallop, the Vee that our company was founded on, and the New Wave to round out the offer.

We will continue to build on these four franchise blocks to build equity and give the customer great product to believe in.

How will you market it?

Garry Wall:  For the Highline boardshort, the high point of Quiksilver boardshort technology, we have developed on online educational e-training tool for retailers and floor staff so they are completely in tune with the technical features and benefits of our premium boardshort offer.

We want the floor staff to feel comfortable and educated when selling our higher priced products to give the core surf shops a point of difference and unique shopping experience for their loyal customer. We want to provide alternatives to the race to the bottom on price with new and innovative products.

On the customer side we have a great digital user experience online to create a rich online educational experience. Like 2016, for 2017 we will continue our consistent all-year consumer-facing boardshorts offensive to remain omnipresent across multiple platforms connected to the end user.

Our partnership with WSL will continue with the Quik Pro Gold Coast and France that is 100% boardshort-focused.  We also plan to again take up boardshort advertising packages on Margaret River, Fiji, Rio, J-Bay and selected Big Wave events to give us the most consistent global engagement with the core customer of any brand.

Then at a regional level you have targeted tactics customized to the region and executed by our teams on the ground. Then we take the experience to the shop floor with windows and interactive in-store displays with our key retail partners. 

Alternatively to the performance and innovation product and marketing, on the lifestyle side of things it a different approach with our Radical Times episodes, where we return to where our seasonal design inspiration trips were conducted. We return to capture our real-time marketing assets and reconnect with the culture and people who influenced the art and attitude that inspired the collection.

Our latest trip, Radical Times South Africa, has just gone live at www.quiksilver.com

We will expand our boardshort product clinics with key retailers, and plan to extend them to product-testing sessions in warm water locations. Then you bolt on our PR strategy to the mix and you have a full 360 approach.

Quiksilver was founded on boardshorts and we are 100% focused on regaining our leadership position in this industry-defining category.

What was the biggest hit of last season?

Garry Wall:  I think the biggest success is that we have a segmented product offer that gives core retailers exclusive product via the Originals collection, including the authorized dealers product utilizing our original bubble mountain and wave logo. 

Anything else new with business?

Garry Wall:  We are really excited that Andrew Marriner has joined our team to head up marketing for the Americas.

We have elevated Chad Wells’ position from Team Manager to Surf Marketing Manager to broaden his scope and leverage his skills and relationships with the core surf media.

In addition, Pat Fraley has joined our team as the Waterman’s Sales Manager. So lots of exciting hires, and we will announce a few more shortly.