​In 1966, footage of Mike Hynson walking atop his longboard debuted in theaters across the world. Alongside Robert August and filmmaker Bruce Brown, Hynson’s globe-trotting in 'The Endless Summer' helped establish a precedent of surf exploration that has lasted nearly 60 years later.

The San Diego surfer and shaper enjoyed a different kind of trek when he became inducted into Huntington Beach’s Surfing Walk of Fame, along with Surf Pioneer Bing Copeland, Surfing Champion Felipe Pomar, Local Hero Jeff Deffenbaugh, Surf Culture Doug Warbrick & Brian Singer (Rip Curl Founders), and Woman of the Year Sally Fitzgibbons.
To commemorate the induction, John van Hamersveld, who designed 'The Endless Summer' poster, was commissioned to produce a work of art.

Outerknown, a clothing brand co-founded by pro-surfer Kelly Slater, makes effortless and casual beach styles rooted in sustainability and transparency. Over 90% of Outerknown's products are made from organic, recycled, or regenerated materials. The company's manufacturing partners also follow strict guidelines of safety and working conditions.
Slater pointed out that "conscious development takes time and investment. There are added costs in creating quality product made to last, in finding and partnering with the right factories that value worker well-being, and in sourcing and leveraging materials that cause less harm." 
"At the end of the day, we're looking at the long run and what's best 'For People and Planet.' We're putting in the work to build a truly sustainable model rather than zeroing in on short-term trends or financials," he says. 
Outerknown has partnered with Bruce Brown films LLC to launch a new collection - Bruce Brown Films
available in store and online.

​A recent comment on the store's website stated: "Honestly, I hadn’t thought about Endless Summer for years. It’s always been one of my favorite movies and movie posters. I was recently in a VRBO and the owner was a Tower Records Exec. In a prior life. His home was filled with vintage concert and movie prints. I immediately was drawn to the Endless Summer print with its amazing colors and the silhouettes of the surfers. I went home and bought a framed print and watched the movie. Totally inspiring and the Soundtrack by The Sandals is so cool. Then...I get the email from Outerknown featuring Bruce Brown. I was like, this is too good to be true. Feels like serendipity! Needless to say, I immediately bought the shirt and it is fantastic. Feels good to wear it. Ahh, Karma." Jake'

The store is now open at The Point in El Segundo:
The Point Shopping Center, 850 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite D 106, El Segundo, CA 90245.
​Best of luck to Kelly on this new adventure.

Surf companies sell exciting, idyllic, and adrenaline-fueled surfing experiences, and they're highly successful doing it.
The reason why surfing became a multimillion-dollar sports industry is that brands appeal to consumers' emotions and dreams in a very effective way.
Whether inviting you to "stay high" or "live the search," corporate surfing makes you believe "life's better in boardshorts." And it could be, as long as these giant conglomerates continue selling clothing, footwear, and accessories.
​
With the advent of Olympic surfing and wave pools, the sport of riding waves will likely continue to conquer new markets and segments of the population that have never had contact with surfboards.
The surf industry is what it is, and surfing wouldn't be what it is today without the innovations and technologies companies have developed during the sport's first century of existence.

Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Billabong, and O'Neill - also known as the Big Four - focus their marketing plans on selling clothing, i.e., t-shirts, jackets, pants, sweatshirts, flannels, hoodies, tanks, and boardshorts. Surf companies focus their operation in three major territories: America, Europe, and Oceania. That's where they get over 90 percent of their annual income. The majority of the world's wetsuits are made in the same place. Taiwan's Sheico Group produces two million wetsuits per year for the planet's most prestigious surf companies.

American multinational corporation Nike announced it has reached a definitive agreement to sell Hurley to Bluestar Alliance LLC. ​ Bluestar Alliance is a brand management firm founded by Joseph Gabbay and Ralph Gindi in 2006.

It owns, manages, and markets a portfolio of consumer brands including Bebe, Brookstone, Catherine Malandrino, English Laundry, Joan Vass, Kensie, Limited Too, Nanette Lepore, Tahari, and others.

In 2019, Bluestar Alliance is expecting combined retail sales of over $3 billion. "We have always admired Hurley. It has maintained its leadership role and premium positioning in the surfing world," noted Joey Gabbay, CEO of Bluestar Alliance. "We look forward to building upon the existing Hurley network and expanding to additional countries. We see the brand continuing to evolve into a 360-degree lifestyle brand, with action sports playing a key role."

The terms of the deal between both parties have not been publicly revealed. In 2002, when Nike acquired Hurley, the surf company founded by Bob Hurley had annual sales of $70 million.

Last year, Kathmandu announced the acquisition of Rip Curl, the New Zealand-based retailer took over the iconic Australian surf brand for A$350 million ($236 million). Rip Curl was founded in 1969 by Brian Singer and Doug Warbrick, in Torquay. The company has been in the hands of the duo ever since. Kathmandu aims to give birth to a "global outdoor and actions sports company" with annual revenues of NZ$1 billion ($626 million).

Although well known in Australia and New Zealand, the Kiwi camping gear brand hopes to take advantage of the synergies to conquer the European and North American markets. Kathmandu acquired 100 percent of Rip Curl Group Pty Limited.