Billabong

Brand Overview

Billabong is a division of Billabong International Ltd., which focuses on the marketing, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of apparel, accessories, eyewear, wetsuits and hardgoods under the Billabong, Element?, Von Zipper?, Honolua Surf Company?, Kustom?, Palmers Surf?, and Nixon brands. The company employs around 1750 staff worldwide, and Billabong International's products are licensed and distributed in more than 100 countries, available in approximately 8000 retail locations worldwide.

Brand History

Billabong was founded on Australia's Gold Coast in 1973 by surfer and surfboard shaper Gordon Merchant, along with a second partner. The early days of the brand where characterized by the pair designing and cutting boardshorts at home before selling the finished product via a local surf shop. Before long, Billabong became known among surfers for quality surf gear, and the founders aimed at capitalizing on using other surfers to market the brand via both individual and contest sponsorship.

By the 1980s, Billabong had firmly established its place in Australian surf culture and began to expand internationally. The brand first made successful inroads into the North American surf market, which, by the '80s, had become big business. During this time, Billabong also moved into markets in New Zealand, Japan, and South Africa, as well as Europe by the end of the decade.

Like a lot of action sports clothing manufacturers, Billabong moved deeply into skate and snowboarding markets in the '90s. The broadening of the brand's scope inot the newly recognized boardsports space allowed the company to move toward a public offering, and Billabong shares were first traded on the Australian Stock Exchange in August of 2000.

Within a year of its public offering Billabong purchased Von Zipper? and Element Skateboards?. In 2004, the company purchased Honolua Surf Company?, Kustom Footwear?, and Palmers Surf?. Billabong also acquired watch manufacturer Nixon in January 2006. By 1999, Billabong sales had grown to $110 million, with sales surpassing $1 billion in the 2005-06 financial year.

Recent Collections

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External Links

Billabong North America

Billabong Corporate Site

Billabong Global Site

Category

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