Quiksilver to launch new outdoor line in Europe

By

Olivier Guyot

Published
Nov 25, 2019

Quiksilver is releasing a new line for Fall/Winter 2020. The brand will launch an outdoor range made from sustainable materials and conceived especially for the European market by the label's teams in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the French Basque Country.

The launch collection is made up of around 30 pieces, mainly tops and jackets, but also shirts, jumpers, t-shirts and sheepskin-effect fleeces. According to the Boardriders-owned brand, the collection uses a range of different Repreve® recycled materials, as well as organic cotton and an eco-friendly waterproofing treatment. The services of Gore-Tex and Primaloft were also called in for the waterproof and breathable pieces in the collection. 

"Increasingly people are looking to (re)connect with nature and the great outdoors," explains François Latterade, head of Quiksilver in the EMEA region. "This lifestyle is an important part of the surf and snowboard DNA of Quiksilver, whose mission is to offer consumers a wide range of durable, technical products designed for a modern active lifestyle."

In terms of style, the offering takes aim at city dwellers who are drawn to outdoor experiences. Quiksilver's European team wanted to win over "micro-adventure" enthusiasts, who set out in a van for a three-day road trip and head for the mountains, or to the beach to go surfing. Looking at the collection's silhouettes and price range, the proposition seems to be seeking to insert itself somewhere between Carhartt and Patagonia. The offering also shifts Quiksilver into territory currently occupied by fellow Boardriders brand, Element.

Overall, it's quite an aggressive commercial proposition, with jackets priced at between 150 and 300 euros, and shirts and jumpers at around 79 euros. The line is rounded out by accessories and backpacks.

The line will be available in Quiksilver's company-owned stores, as well as at selected sports retailers, but will also be distributed through certain concept stores in an effort to bring the outdoor scene into more urban spaces.  

For the launch of the new collection, which is using the brand's existing logos for the time being, Quiksilver has chosen two big-name ambassadors: French snowboarder Mathieu Crepel and Spanish freesurfer Kepa Acero. 

Quiksilver is one of the flagship brands at Boardriders, which recently opened a new store at the Cap 3000 mall in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, on the French Riviera. The group, which also owns the Billabong, Rvca, Element and Roxy brands, currently expects to report annual revenues of around $1.9 billion this year.