At Surf Expo we ran into Tim Garrett, who is working on a new apparel project with waterman Laird Hamilton.
Laird attended Surf Expo and was a popular attraction – he signed a lot of autographs and posed for many photos.
Laird Apparel will debut in the market in October. Tim, who is President and General Manager, answered some questions for us about the new venture.
Previously, the French brand Oxbow was Laird’s apparel sponsor.
What niche is the brand targeting?
Tim Garrett: Laird has been building his brand for over forty years as the premier waterman known for his relentless training to prepare himself for the heaviest conditions that nature can produce, so we’ve developed an apparel line that caters to the seasoned waterman looking to be as fit as possible to do the water sports he loves and live life to the fullest.
What categories are part of the line?
Tim Garrett: We have three collections within the line that first focus on-water or off-shore with boardshorts, surf/sun protection shirts and wetsuits to manage heat especially while stand up paddling.
We also have a high performance fitness collection inspired by surf design, but utilizing the best in technical fabrics and ergonomic design to allow maximum comfort while training in the water, gym, studio or out on the trails and beaches.
We also have a complementary lifestyle collection designed for comfort and style while hanging out.
What are the price points?
Tim Garrett: I would say the price points are premium while still remaining reasonable for the function that the apparel delivers.
For example:
- Boardshorts range from $75 to $85
- Surfshirts from $55 to $60
- We are introducing a hybrid surfshirt/polo that retails at $75
- Fitness tops range from $75 to $95
- Fitness shorts range from $70 to $75
- A fitness/studio pant is $99
- Walkshorts and hybrid shorts range from $65 to $85
- Premium tees are at $50 and graphic tees at $35
- We are introducing a unique hybrid pant for after surf or for an early morning paddle that combines the fabrics and closures of a boardshort, but doubles as a casual pant that retails at $120 A stylish and super comfortable technical hoodie jacket is $115 and works with a short at $70 and a sweat pant at $99
- Our hats with New Era range from $35 to $40.
Why do you think there’s a market for it?
Tim Garrett: With the continued growth of stand up paddling as well as fitness in general we are seeing more and more men gravitating from traditional fitness into water sports.
Also, we see the mature waterman looking for technical fitness gear with more of a masculine look than yoga brands that his wife wears and without the “jock” stigma of mainstream sports gear.
Is this 100% owned by Laird or do you have partners?
Tim Garrett: The key partners are Laird, with the largest ownership, our CEO and Chief Creative Officer, William Cawley, and myself as President and General Manager. We also have a great group of investors and business advisors with tremendous apparel, finance and entertainment experience.
What is the strategy regarding e-commerce and wholesale accounts?
Tim Garrett: We will be doing e-commerce with a specific emphasis on a subscription model that is designed to test our latest and greatest product with Laird’s strongest supporters. They will be our test “riders” as we will get feedback directly from them on what’s working and what’s not.
We’ll pass that information on to our wholesale accounts that will consist of waterman shops, outdoor retailers, resorts as well as boutiques that cater to our consumer.
We made a significant commitment to inventory so that we can launch next month, October, with our website, www.lairdapparel.com, and select retailers in key markets with a much larger push in Spring, 2016.
