http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/f...n-rides-mens-fashion-wave.html?ref=mens-style Kelly's life after surfing, coming up. You know you'll buy... “It’s nothing for me to get on a plane to the other side of the world,” said Mr. Slater, who was in town to preview his latest venture, a line of ready-to-wear clothing called Outerknown. Ready-to-wear hardly encompasses the full Outerknown brief, although the vaporous rubric of “lifestyle brand” is not much better. Yet it was Mr. Slater’s lifestyle, his determined yet laid-back manner and how it emblematizes a lucrative sector of the clothing market (luxury and sports-lifestyle) that made him appealing to Kering, the global conglomerate behind Gucci, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and Bottega Veneta, and now him. Many took it as a gag when Mr. Slater abruptly quit a lucrative endorsement deal with the surf wear behemoth Quiksilver last year on the cusp of April Fools’ Day; he’d had the gig, after all, since he was 18. Yet the decision to part with Quiksilver, long in coming, and the later partnership with Kering were part of a strategy to build a brand with lofty ethical goals, one that deployed his renown without turning him into what he called “a fame whore,” one whose nominal cornerstones are “style, sustainability and travel.” Continue reading the main story From the start, Mr. Slater chose as collaborators seasoned insiders (Julie Gilhart, the former fashion director of Barneys New York; Stella Ishii, the woman instrumental in nurturing brands like Alexander Wang, 3.1 Phillip Lim and the Row) whose selection telegraphed the intentions of a man who claims to have known from the very first surf contest he entered that he was destined to win. “I looked around, and the other people weren’t that good,” he said. http://www.outerknown.com/#5
It always was about the money for Quicksilver. But for Slater also. And as surfing has become nothing more than a financial venture....who cares?? Ask any kid on the beach what they want for Xmas.....sponsorship.
another big name, another clothing company. Will it end up as targets main clothing line much like shawn white? or kohl's like tony hawk? Will kelly actually stand by his ethical values once those designers and fashion big wigs decide the brand can make more money if they get their fabrics from cheaper unsustainable sources? or will he actually strive to do something different in an already over-saturated industry like Chouinard did with patagonia? It will be interesting to say the least.
that statement dis-regards kellys' shocking athleticism. completely jumps over it. but it does seem to be about the money. anybody who thinks the gabby/glenn hisfit was not contrived consider this. kelly says he's retired - people talk - he's in the nyt - people (well, at least msexuals) talk. his last contest is bells......and he's first up against a giant-killer round three. this is pro-active management of the wsl brand; crisis mode style on account stop number 2 aussie leg is not generating...........$$$$.
Why are his standards low because he wants to create a brand that he believes in? Instead of taking money from a company to wear their clothes he's putting his money in to a creating a product... According to him it's not going to be a "surf brand" like the others. It will too expensive for the average young surfer. It will be more like Patagonia.
I hope it works for him There is nothing wrong with earning money. The more the merrier, if that is what drives a person. He has got drive, that is for sure!!
Which is worse, Kelly in the "fashion" industry or this?! http://www.realwatersports.com/news/the-slater-empire-expands/ This had better be an April Fool's joke!
come on give the guy a break the more you give the more you get and besides that this is the heart of the surf industry were talking about here y'all know that but the next time i see that bald headed mug out at c-street who runs his mouth who aint Kelly Slater but tries to call you out for paddling around him or whatever y'all know who I'm talking about y'all know what pal you can stay away from me and we wont have any problems in the future
if it doesn't work out he can always pitch a barbecue grill like George Forman. Maybe a portable one that can travel anywhere. Point is, yeah, I can appreciate his work ethic, but how much money is enough, and how many more surfers can the lineups take? And, as mentioned, how many more clothing lines does the world need?
He is just doing what every pro-football player should do if they are smart. And look at Jordan's. People still where those. Its all about maintaining the rock star lifestyle. If not you gotta have a kid that does it. Is he really retiring? He was right in the hunt last season.
i agree. let him know...i did. go to the surfline webisode "slater retires" and in the comments tell him what you just told us. i did.
was it really? I hope it was but if he loses in 3rd round in weak surf, he could retire. Which would suck. I hope Tuesdays torquay forecast holds and he rips all the way to the finals and goes for #12. Hes a freak and I love watching him surf. Don't want it to stop...ever