Quiksilver, Inc. is an Australian company based in Huntington Beach, California, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of surfwear and other boardsport-related equipment. Its logo, designed by the company founder Alan Green and John Law in Torquay, Victoria, Australia in 1969,[1] inspired by Hokusai‘s woodcut The Great Wave off Kanagawa[2] consists of a large wave with a mountain on a red background.
The company also produces a line of apparel for young women, under the brand Roxy. Its logo consists of two copies of the Quiksilver logo, one reflected, forming a heart. Quiksilver has another line of apparel for women under the brand Quiksilver Women.
The company’s DC and Hawk brands are also synonymous with the heritage and culture of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding, and its beach- and water-oriented swimwear brands include Raisins, Radio Fiji and Leilani. Quiksilver also carries a line of high-end apparel and accessories under its Quiksilver Edition brand.[3]
In 2005, the company launched The Quiksilver Foundation, a charitable foundationwhich works to provide environmental, educational, health and youth-related projects to board riding communities around the world.
The company now offers snow and surf travel packages to exotic locations such as Samoa, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru and Costa Rica.
Corporate information [edit]
Quiksilver purchased Skis Rossignol for $560 million in 2005, but sold Rossignol on 12 November 2008 for $37.5 million (30 million euros) in cash and a $12.5 million note (10 million euro).[4] It owned golf-equipment maker Cleveland Golf up until 31 October 2007, when it sold the company to a Japanese sporting goods company.[5] In 2009 Moody’s included Quiksilver on its Bottom Rung list of companies most likely to default on its debt.[6] Quiksilver also owns DC Shoes, a skateboard shoe brand.
Co-founder and CEO of Quiksilver Bob McKnight stepped down as CEO on 11 January 2013. He remains as executive chairman. The new president and CEO is Andy Mooney, who was formerly chairman of Disney Consumer Products.[7]
Quiksilver today [edit]
Quiksilver operates 834[8] stand-alone stores in major cities across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. There are two types of Quiksilver operated stores which are known as either “Boardriders Club” or “Factory” stores. Their products are also sold in many other outlets across the world such as Zumiez, the Fells Point Surf Company or the Ron Jon Surf Shop. In addition, the company operates a number of separate Roxy and Quiksilver Youth stores.
As of 2008, Quiksilver sponsors around 500 amateur and professional surfers, snowboarders, skiers, and skateboarders. Among them are surfer Kelly Slater, golfer Luke Federico, snowboarder Travis Rice, and skateboarder Tony Hawk. They also have the naming rights to the Quiksilver Pro surfing tournament for men and Roxy Pro Gold Coast tournament for women in Gold Coast, Queensland in Australia, France, and most recently, New York.
Roxy [edit]
In 1990, Quiksilver launched its sister brand for young women, Roxy. The brand is aimed at those who enjoy coastal and mountain-based sports and lifestyles. It was differentiated from the main Quiksilver line “for fear it would damage the men’s brand”, according to Randy Hild, the company’s senior vice president of marketing. Roxy was chosen because it sounded like a punk band or club (likelyRoxy Music and The Roxy respectively), and is also the name of the daughters of both CEO Bob McKnight and founder Alan Green.[9][10] About 30% of Quiksilver’s sales come from the Roxy line.[11]
Since inception, Roxy has grown to be the largest action sport fashion apparel company for young women. In addition to apparel, it now also produces accessories, homewares, hard goods (snow and surf), wetsuits, footwear, books, and perfumes. It has sub-brands for its children’s ranges, named Roxy Girl and Teenie Wahine.
In the Spring of 2013, the “DVF loves Roxy” collection was released as a one-time limited edition collaboration line of swim and beach wear as well as accessories. [12]
Quiksilver milestones [edit]
2009: Quiksilver announced a financial restructuring plan that includes an agreement with Rhone Group, an international private equity firm, for a 5-year senior secured term loan of approximately $150 million and new $200 million Line of Credit in the Americas from Bank of America and GE Capital.[13]
2008: Kelly Slater wins the inaugural contest of the 2008 Men’s ASP World Championship Tour, the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast of Australia, furthering his record with 35 ASP World Tour Victories. Slater wins his ninth world title in Mundaka, Spain – Spearheaded by avant-garde fashionista, Tyler Simmons, Quiksilver launches its first young contemporary women’s line, Quiksilver Women’s.
2007: Kelly Slater Wins at Trestles, sets new World Record with 34 ASP World Tour Victories – Quiksilver’s Dane Reynolds landed the most coveted surf magazine photo of the year for an image captured during the filming of Young Guns 3 in Bali. – Travis Rice wins the Snowboard US Open. – Quiksilver Inc. announces launch of Women’s line for fall 2008 – Julian Wilson scores best performance by a male at the 2007 surfer poll awards.
2006: Quiksilver released the 320-page, full color book The Mountain & the Wave, The Quiksilver Story.[14] – Dane’s movie “First Chapter” won for Best Male Performance in a Video and, Video of the Year at the Surfer Poll Awards. Kelly also took out yet another first in the Reader Poll. – Quiksilver announces opening of new Mountain Center in Park City, Utah.
2005: Quiksilver Foundation is established – Danny Way jumped the Great Wall – Kelly Slater wins record breaking 7th World Title
2004: Quiksilver acquires DC Shoe Company – QSE partners with Airstream – “The Quiksilver Crossing” comes to America
2003: Quiksilver continues involvement with environment, education, and science with projects “Quikscience Challenge” and “Adopt-A-Village” – Roxy teams up with MTV to launch Surf Girls TV show – Q.S. Entertainment teams up with Fox TV to launch 54321 TV Show – Quiksilver announces joint venture for retail expansion into Mainland China with partners Glorious Sun
2002: Quiksilver Inc. and Quiksilver Asia Pacific merge to form global operating entity – Quiksilver designs revolutionary new wetsuit. “The Cell” is for all degrees of surfing. Revolutionary design, increased flexibility, lighter in weight, total freedom!” according to Quiksilver.
2001: Kelly Slater goes back on tour, un-retires
2000: Quiksilver, Inc. established the Quiksilver trademarks world wide with the acquisition of all of the shares in Quiksilver International – QS forms alliance with Tony Hawk to create signature apparel line, “Hawk” is launched – First Roxy store opens. first Roxy surf camp established
1999: The “Quiksilver Crossing” is launched. The greatest surf adventure ever with a strong environment focus – Josh Ashworth redefines golfwear at Quiksilver with “Fidra” – Quiksilver Inc. moves to Huntington Beach
1998: Kelly Slater wins his sixth ASP world title and Quiksilver goes one, two, three in the world with Kelly, Mick Cambell, and Danny Wills – Quiksilver Inc. lists on the New York stock exchange. Bell rings for ZQK – Kelly Slater retires
1997: Quiksilver.com – Kelly Slater highest money earner in ASP history 1996 – Quiksilver acquires Mervin Manufacturing, Inc. a manufacturer and wholesaler of snowboards and snowboard bindings, thus the brands Lib Technologies, Gnu Snowboards, and Bent Metal.
1996: Quiksilver creates “Winter Sports Division”.
1995: Quiksilver sets the ultimate in standard in professional surfing events by staging the inaugural “Quiksilver Pro” at G-Land Indonesia
1994: Lisa Anderson signs with Roxy and becomes women’s ASP world champion – Roxy introduces first girls boardshort
1993: Roxy launches “Double Heart” logo – Quiksilver acquires “Raisins” swimwear
1991: QS “Boys” begins. “Silver Edition” division begins with “QUE” – Quiksilver Inc. acquires Quiksilver Europe, moves towards creating one global company
1990: Kelly Slater signs with Quiksilver – World champion halfpipe snowboarder Shaun Palmer signs with Quiksilver – Quiksilver introduces “Roxy” brand to surf market
1989: 20 year anniversary of Quiksilver brand
1988: Quiksilver and Tom Carroll create surfing history when the twice world champion signs an exclusive contract for $1 million, the most lucrative deal in the sport
1987: Jack Johnson signs with Quiksilver[citation needed]
1986: Quiksilver Inc. in the United States goes public
1984: 1st “Quiksilver in memory of Eddie Aikau” Big Wave contest held at Sunset Beach, HI, won by Denton Miyamura
1981: Quiksilver commissions Los Angeles designer Ray Smith to update the mountain and wave logo
1980: Quiksilver introduces “Echo Beach” boardshorts featuring radical print design with polka dots harlequins, stars and checks
1978: Quiksilver sponsors its first team riders, Rabbit Bartholomew and Bruce Raymond. Rabbit goes on to win the world title
1976: Jeff Hackman is granted the Quiksilver license. Jeff Hackman and Bob McNight team up to start Quiksilver USA in Newport Beach. Start selling boardshorts out of the back of a green VW bus
1974: U.S. manufacturing (Quiksilver) first exports boardshorts to the Lightning Bolt shop in Hawaii
1970: Quiksilver boardshorts with a swan logo make their first appearance in Australian surf shops. Soon replaced by the first “Mountain and Wave” logo
1969: At the Rip Curl factory in Torquay, Australia, Alan Green starts working on prototypes for a new kind of board short, using aspects of wetsuit technology, such as snaps and Velcro flies.
4 Comments on “History Of Quiksilver.”
Comments are closed.