Billabong Boardshorts S/S 2026 Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Boardshorts s/s 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Billabong
Interviewee: Alex Berthonneau – head of merchandising
Were the level orders for SS25 boardshorts good?
We’re seeing a positive trend sell-in trend on boardies after many years of cannibalization from the elasticated segment.
Do you carry over staple pieces over the years?
We carry staple silhouettes/franchises, but the business is mostly driven by prints so we don’t really have a demand for long life pieces.
Prices vary from €30 to €150+: where do you position your brand on that spectrum?
For performance boardies, the ballpark is 60-80€ from simple silhouettes to more intricated designs and fabric interests.
What are the main design trends of SS26 for (surfing) boardshorts? (cuts, lengths, special features, closing systems…)
The trend for longer shorts as started to take off in Europe on “24/25, we’re seeing more interest in our Y2K silhouettes with bolder designs, cut & sew details, rubber trims and 21”, 22” leg lengths.
Same question for walkshorts/beachshorts.
Elasticated/Beachshorts remain a big part of the SS business, the volume remains on essentials but we see a growing demand in longer lengths as well, strech materials, textured fabrics… As for walkshorts, after many years led by elasticated waists, the rigid waist is taking more space in our line with longer and baggier fits, workwear silhouettes.
What are you colour & print stories for SS26?
Main story on boardies is Longbongs, our range of performance trunks with an early 00’s flavor. We are also bringing back the most iconic shorts of all time, the Andy Irons Rising Sun, which is correlated with the Y2K trend.
Which fabrics did you implement for the SS26 collections?
We’re focusing on our Upcycler, made of reclaimed polyester materials. Our commitment remains that all of our products that touch the water are made of eco-conscious materials.
Key Products:
FLUID 2K:
FLUID 2K
AI RISING SUN:
AI RISING SUN
REFLECTION PRO:
REFLECTION PRO
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