Boardsport Source, Issue 69, Winter 13/14
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ISSUE 69
Welcome all to 2014 – here’s wishing us all a successful New Year. As we discussed in last issue’s editorial there’s a fresh new buzz in the air as the industry has finally rebooted itself to face the new business reality. The majors have transformed themselves into leaner meaner business machines and companies have exited and entered product categories in a more thoughtful, targeted process rather then hoping to be all things to all people. Opportunities are still there to be seized; for example brands launching new winter product categories in 2014 include Nikita going into boots, Apo launching women’s outerwear, Jones unveil the first kids splitboard, Lib Tech have re-launched outerwear and 686 have completely overhauled their approach to the category. Talking of new, we have an exclusive interview with Derek O’Neill on the new Vissla surf and D’Blanc eyewear brands in Europe, and the Big Wig interview follows the theme with an interview with CEO Ryan Hollis at the newly independent Mervin Manufacturing.
As always, our brand profiles look at the smaller brands looking to make their mark in the European market. With it being tradeshow time, we look at what’s new for the 2014/15 snowboard, outerwear, goggles and wetsuit categories. As a seasonal special, we take a look at what shops should be stocking to benefit from the growing demand in the backcountry sector. We also look at the past and present of snowboarding to help see what’s new over the hill and Donna Carpenter is the first in a new series of women in boardsports interviews.
Our skate pricing and Controversy articles stir up the debate in online pricing and on sales policy in the multi-channel world where the future of independent retailers is very much at stake. Ride O’Meter, our regular look at what’s happening in the media evaluates exposure in snowboarding and adds a new video dimension. And the issue would not be complete without our preview of the key winter sport trade shows ISPO, Slide and Sport Achat, where new is what it’s all about. So a new year offers new opportunities which need to be grasped, so let’s rephrase from ‘in with the new and out with the old’ to ‘in with the new and in with bold!’
The new sideways- SOURCE Editorial team.