Photo by LeRoy Grannis

The BBC has a rad article up about the history of the surf industry. It focuses on O’Neill which, here in Australia, seems like a weird brand to work from, but overseas it is still a powerhouse. The article notes that it is a US$6.24 billion industry in the States alone and its trek into the mainstream is continuing with global fashion firms like PPR buying in through brands like Volcom and Nike making considerable marketing pushes based on the sports. This despite a few pretty tough years for the retailers, especially in surf. Surf historian and writer, Matt Warshaw, discusses the commercialization in the article saying, “A huge part of it, starting in the early ’60s, was silly and superfluous: people making money, or trying to, by trading on the fundamental cool of surfing. Malibu Barbie, surf-themed toenail polish, surfers in ads for Coke, Budweiser, Chevy. Same today, but a lot more of it,” The full article is well worth a read, check it out over here.