Killer Dana Board Society

Alex What look are we going to see alot of within the next year?
“There are alot of dresses, I really love dresses”

There were alot of minis up there (on runway), but WE really likes long dresses like the maxi, what about you?
“The Maxi dress, down to the floor and flowing skirts, those will be holding on strong!”

How did you design styles to fit with the brand’s beach to street approach?
“I took alot of inspiration from nature. I think it’s important for a young designer to be able to wear a lot of different hats”

A tip that he may have taken from Ezekiel’s newest creative force Desiree Faase. The lead on the 2010 Spring line and mentor to the designers from Needle and Thread. She clued us into her experience with her LA Brand Sterling, as well as her insight of what’s next .

What are you working on right now? What is next for Ezekiel Summer?
“Lots of color! With more of the corals and those perry winkles you saw this season all approved.”

What’s going to be big for the next Summer or even next Spring?
Acknowledging down to her own dress “More transitional garments, like this one. Things you can easily dress it up or down and wear with sandals”

So that’s two votes for dresses and one vote for lots of color. The Good news is that you don’t have to wait for either!

Rip Curl’s Alana Blanchard has just claimed victory at the Reef Hawaiian Women’s Pro at Haleiwa, the first stop of the 2009 Triple Crown.

“Alana has been been having an okay rookie year—equal 9ths in every event. But the Women’s Tour is a lot smaller than the Men’s Tour, so staying on means putting up a few big results. Sitting at 13th at the moment, she’s in need of a few solid results in these last two events. Well, yesterday she stamped her authority all over the Women’s Vans Triple Crown of Surfing by taking the Vans Hawaiian Pro, giving her an early lead for the Triple Crown. Though the win won’t help her up her ratings to stay on Tour for next year (no ‘QS points), it will give her a huge boost of confidence heading into the rest of the Triple Crown.

The lone Hawaiian in the final, Alana faced three women who each had at least one world title to their names (Steph Gilmore, Becca Woods, and Sofia Mulanovich). The mentality we thought she would be taking was the “Hey I’ve made it to the final. That’s a great result.” But that wasn’t what Alana had in mind.

Photo courtesy CI/ASP Scholtz via Getty Images

Though Haleiwa wasn’t anywhere near perfect, Alana was controlling the sporadic lefts all day long and getting some of the biggest scores on them. Trailing the current 2x Women’s World Champ Steph Gilmore with about five minutes left, Alana picked off another one of those lefts. The runner allowed her multiple fluid swoops on her good-looking backside resulting in a 7.83. She had snatched the lead from the woman hailed as the best women’s surfer, giving Alana the biggest victory of her career.

Photo courtesy of Sarvias

If Alana can carry this momentum throughout the rest of the Triple Crown, she’ll be surfing with them best of them. And to stay with the best of them she’s going to have to keep it up. Congrats Alana!”

Thanks to Ryan Brower at Transworldsurf.com for this great article!

Born in Moorea (French Polynesia) 46 years ago, Aken is in the ocean nearly everyday, surfing, stand-up paddling or kitesurfing, whatever the conditions are: perfect or crappy, tiny or huge. Incredibly fit, he’s got this fearlessness and at the same time easy going and friendly attitude that makes him so special.

I love to be in the water with him: first, because his style is so fluid and powerful; second, because even when you think he’s not going to make it, he still makes it; and third, because his laugh is the most contagious laugh I know.

I also love the fact that even though he will never tell you what his full name is (Pssshhhh…), he will always be there to share great stories and sound advice. And on a bright Sunday afternoon, between two surfing sessions, I decided to take some time to sit down for a little while and to chat with him… just to try and understand what it’s like to be a real waterman.

Photo: Guillaume Chastagnol

When did you start surfing?

I took my first waves when I was about 6 or 7 years old, on long flat pieces of wood. Then around 13, my friends and I were given an old surfboard. That’s all we had, and we had to share it! It was so funny: we would paddle together on a canoe to go surfing the reef break located in front of my place, and we just took turns: one of us was surfing, while the others stayed on the canoe eating mangoes and getting all excited because we couldn’t wait to go in the water.

But it was a different time back then: most of the time, I ended up surfing by myself because I couldn’t find anybody to come with me (laughs).

Huh… doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, especially on big days…

I got to experiment surfing in many different conditions all by myself. And it taught me a lot of things: when you’re on your own, it’s between you and mother nature. That’s how l learned to develop my focus and to “read” the elements: the color of the water, the way it moves, the tides, the horizon, the wind, everything… when you’re by yourself on big days, you become like a wild animal, all your senses are working towards only one purpose: just keeping you alive. You’re in survival mode and it’s an amazing sensation…

Because I’ve done this so much over the last 30 years, it has become second nature; I know how things work out there…

Photo: Guillaume Chastagnol

What does surfing represent for you?

It used to be my passion, but it has become my life, it’s who I am; I cannot live without this feeling of riding a wave.

Surfing has taught so much in life: I learned to go with the flow, in and out of the water. Surfing also taught me to slow down and to look at the beauty around me: ocean, waves, sunsets; I learned to be humble and to respect mother nature. We’re so lucky to have all this, I just wish more people could take a little bit of time to see what we see.

You go out whatever the conditions are: what thoughts cross your mind when a big set rolls in? And when you paddle for it?

Sometimes I get scared, but fear is exciting… and I know where my limits are: I like to think that I’m a “sensible freak”, despite what people think (laughs). When I see a big set coming towards me, the first thought that crosses my mind is: “how do I escape this?” But when I decide to paddle for a wave, I stop thinking. You can’t hesitate when it gets big; if you do, you end up getting hurt. So I just paddle hard, take off, and see what happens.

What’s the biggest wave you’ve surfed?

I don’t know… when it gets to a certain size, you don’t measure the wave anymore; you just can’t. You measure your sensations; that’s how you can tell there’s a difference (smile).

Photo: Guillaume Chastagnol

Your best memory?

Surfing this big left with a bunch of friends about 10 years ago: it was big (more than 9 ft) and perfect. I got the biggest barrels of my life… there was so much water surrounding me… and I broke 2 boards in 1 hour (laughs).

Your worst memory?

I can’t tell you either, I nearly drowned soooo many times; your lungs burn, you have cramps everywhere, you can’t see anything, you nearly pass out…But I’m lucky, I tend to forget fast, that’s why I keep paddling out on big days. And it’s important to be in shape: you want to trust your body, your mind, and their abilities. I don’t get that scared when I’m healthy and clear-minded… because I feel strong.

And you stand-up paddle and kite board as well!

Yes, I started kiteboarding 7 years ago and I loved it from the very first day. Freestyling is fun but kiting in the waves is what I love. That’s the reason why decided to learn the sport: I wanted to surf waves in a different way.

As for stand up paddling, it is a nice alternative when the surf is small or not that fun… I mean, when it’s not big & barreling (laughs).

Photo: Vainui

What’s next?

I want to try foil surfing, tow-in surfing, and catamaran racing around the globe… all the exciting stuff.

What’s your philosophy in life?

Don’t think about the past, it’s gone, what is done is done. Live in the present and enjoy every minute; remember that when you waste time, even if it is just a second, you’ll never get it back. Enjoy life & make it beautiful.

I also believe that it’s important sometimes to be on your own, in order to question your behavior, you assumptions, and your thoughts. I often meditate, especially when I am in the water. This practice has made me a calmer and wiser person; I get to see what is really important and what is not, and I find solutions to my problems.

Words to live by?

Smile at life, and life will smile at you.

Between you and me, I like to call him “Obi Wan Akenobi”… just because I believe the Force is with him.

Four fins are faster than tri fins.
Four Fins are looser than tri fins.
Four fins ride the barrel higher and tighter than a tri fin.
They drop in easier.
They come out of the gate quicker.
Accelerate on cutbacks.
Do better airs.
Can be ridden shorter.
Draw new and different lines.

Josh Kerr is one of the half-dozen or so of the ASP World Tour who regularly experiment with quads.

So why isn’t every surfer on the planet riding one?

It’s all Hype?
Different strokes?
Media?
The pros don’t so I won’t?

Maybe shapers don’t have it right…yet?

Perhaps if there were a ubiquitous effort, a Manhattan Quad Project, the design would evolve at a faster rate and all would enjoy the benefits.

Sorry, somebody has to win a major friggin contest on one first. (Biggest win? CJ won the Body Glove Surfbout on a quad in ‘07.)

So at this point, who seems to like them and who doesn’t? And why?

Typical first impression of a quad is this: fast and loose, but not confident without something directly under the back foot. It takes a few sessions to trust the setup — and run with the positive attributes.

The lack of an auto-centering sensation seems to be a common complaint from most detractors. Without a center fin, a lot of surfers miss the instant feedback from the back foot and the ability to do quick adjustments. With quads there is an information gap in rail change that varies widely depending on fin (rear especially) position.

Backhand performance is also a concern of 3-fin loyalists. Going heelside, the rider delivers more power through the rear foot and specifically the heel. Visualize foot angle and where the energy is going…for most surfers pretty much in line with the rear fin, three inches and change from the back end.

Early days of the 3-fin, I’d put rear fins way back on some rider’s tail blocks. It was necessary to do this to keep more powerful, rear-foot surfers from blowing their tails out on acute direction changes. Occy’s were set at 2 3/4″ and some of Tom Carroll’s trailers were as far back as 2″ from the end of the board. As rockers and outlines evolved, the rears crept up to 3 1/4″ to 3 1/2″ on an average shortboard.

If a rear fin on a tri is moved up an inch or two from the placement most people are used to, the board loses drive, hold, and moves the pivot point further forward. A surfer would have to completely readjust his rear foot placement. Same holds true with a quad.

Which leads to probably one of, if not the single most important detail in designing a 4-fin surfboard: fin positioning. Not weird-ass tails. Not crazy bottom contours. Fins. How big they are, outlines, and foils. Where they are, their relative positioning with respect to each other, cant and nose vector.

Jamie Sterling is a fan of quads in the barrel at Teahupoo ’cause they go fast and hold at speed. Photo: Tyler Cuddy

Early on I took a fairly simplistic approach to it.

Early quads were an attempt to add drive and control to twins. In 1980/81, Twins were de rigueur. Since 1982/83, tri-fins were most surfers’ experiential basis. In my mind, I’m starting with a tri-fin. So I took the rear fin on a tri, and was theoretically splitting it in half. The more the rider wants the feel of a tri, the further back and closer together I’d keep the fins. If a rider was after more of a twin-fin feel, I’d move the rears towards the rail and the front fins.

My common middle ground: for argument’s sake, a 6′2″ tri-fin has fronts at 11″ and rears at 3 1/4″. A lot of designers go half the distance on a quad, so that would put the rears at 5 1/2″ and the same distance from the rail, about 1 1/8″. In my humble opinion, I feel this is a little on the neutral side. I split the difference on distance from the tail (tri vs. quad: 2 1/4″), which would be 3 1/4″ plus 1 1/8″…or 4 3/8″. Easier math: 7′ board. Fins at 12″ and 4″ on a tri. Half the distance is 6″. Split the difference, 5″ for a quad. On average, I try to keep my rears about 2″ in from the rail. That’s a generalization. It becomes a more complicated depending on tail width and board length.

Fin size: Fronts are similar to tri-fins, perhaps slightly smaller. Rears: profiles similar to fronts reduced approximately 10% in overall area. You can adjust drive by swapping out rears with different aspect ratios. More upright fins for tighter arcs. More rake to add length and draw to turns.

Foils: Your preference on fronts…your favorite tri fin fronts are a good starting point. If you are a fan of cambered fins — stay with them. If you prefer flat-sided fronts, you will probably like them in the trailers as well. Smaller, weaker surf; flats are probably the go as they react a little quicker and provide instant feedback. Bigger, more powerful surf — most prefer cambered or dual (full) foil trailers. Less prone to cavitate and let go. Some prefer full-foil trailers in everyday surf, citing more “feel”…smoother, cleaner, etc. Not as fast.

Cant on rears: Typically, I halve the angle of the fronts. It can vary according to intended use. Smaller softer surf; a little more cant will add some lift and looseness. Conversely, less tilt will increase speed, hold, and drive.

Nose vector (line towards nose): I typically point all four fins to approximately the same place, which depends on board length and type of surf the board is intended for.

Another shaper’s insight into quads and fin positioning: Bruce McKee has done nearly 30 years of homework for all of us and he’s quite happy to share it here.

Why not chuck a quad in the back with the rest of your quiver? Photo: Tyler Cuddy

So back to…why aren’t more surfers embracing this design?

I suspect that there were probably a lot of takers that might have had a go early on before a lot of work had been done. They may have had a less-than-satisfactory experience and shared it with others that may have at one point been interested.

Some of it may be due to negative stigma. The print media. In an incredibly myopic and disappointing “Surfboard Issue” last year the polyurethane/polyester tri-fin was declared the winner and still champ in a fizzling technology push.

Thankfully, we have the Internet.

Search and you will find. There are quite a few board builders offering quads. Even Simon Anderson himself rides and enjoys quads and has several models in his product line.

My suggestion is that if you are interested, search out a builder who embraces the design and has a solid history with the setup. It’s not as easy as just sticking four fins on a board.

More often than not when I let someone demo a quad they are pleasantly surprised.

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Check back later this month for “Part Two: A History of Quads,” with words from Simon Anderson, Jeff Clark and more.

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Thanks to Surfline.com and Rusty’s blog

Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues – specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

To date, Movember has raised $47 million globally making it the world’s largest charity event for men. Significantly, awareness of men’s health issues has improved with Movember helping to spread important health messages directly to millions of Mo Bros & Sistas around the world.

We challenge you to join us in changing the face of men’s health.

The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia.  The guys behind it joked about 80s fashion and decided it was time to bring the moustache back.  In order to justify their Mos (Australian slang for moustache), they used their new looks to raise money for prostate cancer research… never dreaming that facial hair would ultimately lead to a global movement that would get men talking about a taboo subject – their health.

A Mo Bro starts Movember – the month formerly known as November – clean shaven, and grows a moustache all month long, garnering support from friends and family in the form of donations.  What’s more, a Mo Bro is a walking billboard for the cause as his new look opens the door for him to talk about cancers affecting men – making the moustache a symbol, much like the pink ribbon is for breast cancer.  Each Movember culminates in a Gala Partè in major cities around the globe where Mo Bros dress up to match their Mo, channeling the likes of Tom Selleck, Gandhi and Ron Burgandy, vying for the ultimate accolade:  Man of Movember.

This Movember, the money raised in the U.S. will be split between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund: research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund:
• the LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance program which has the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer between the ages of 15 and 40.
• research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers.

For further information, visit The Movember Foundation.

There’s something a little 80’s and a little sporty about the Across-Body bag look, which is only going to get bigger next season…

Cross-body bags are hassle free purses that come with class and style. They’re perfect for concerts, busy walks in the city, or just a good ol’ anti theft devise.

One of the biggest supporters of this hands-free look is Rachel Bilson, who loves her small 2.55 Chanel classic bag ($2500, chanel.com). If this price is a little bit out of your rage, try this amazing Lost Lilah Bag ($29-) that comes in a camel and red wine color.

Who wants a free Roxy Cross-Body Purse>?! Well you can win this one (in black) if you want! Our homes over at Roxy so graciously donated it to us… just for you!

All you have to do to win is tell us why you wanna win this purse, and maybe what you’re gonna do or not do with it?!! Super easy.

Top two explanations win!!!! Contest ends tonight at 11:59pm. Free shipping to U.S. residents only.

Clear your calendar, and save the date for November 19th! Our buddies over at O’Neill wanna give you a premier sneak peak at their Women’s Spring 2010 line! Hay ohh!

Where: San Clemente Store (lots of parking in back of store)
When: 6:00-8:00pm
What: Preview of the full Spring 2010 line
Snacks: Yesssum and drinks!
Discounts: GRAND OL’ discounts off all O’Neill Women’s Clothing

Bring your friends, and we’ll see you there!

What’s great about the Buffalo Exchange is that they sell and buy used clothes. I am an avid thrift store shopper and love supporting stores like this. However, I am also very passionate about buying new clothes (hence why I’m working for a company that gives me a discount on new clothes)… so it’s a constant toss up for me on which I love more, the used or new clothes.

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of Navajo, Ethnic, and Tribal prints. They started out this summer on a lot of tank tops n’ skirts (during the time when there were a lot of Music Festivals going on)… since them I have seen almost every company transition that look into Fall and winter wear with fleece jackets, sweaters, and leggings.

Get your hands on this ultra comfy Babushka Sweater from Billabong. It’s a great piece to add to your collection and will keep you happy and warm all the way through Fall and right into Winter.

Next we have a charming duo of pattern brought to us from O’Neill… this Peyote Dress looks great with some strappy fake leather sandals, and this Eden Skirt looks amazing with a solid tank underneath (white or black), and a flashy gold necklace.

Let us know what styles are inspiring you,

-Kacee

Throughout time, mens fashion has taken trips to a more militaristic status to the adventurous artistic ideal. Along the way, lines are blurred by new crazes, forceful fads and even the occasional ruffled shirt. The Alphas understand that being a passer by to what’s “IN” is usually wise. Standing tall in their classic closet-essentials, these guys know that natural is best and they never give in to the crowd.

In my lifetime alone, the menswear scene has definitely off-roaded from it’s traditionally rug id roles of the past. With even the hardest musicians ditching the previous Top balla’ persona for a more refined stance at the top of the charts. Did you notice when it switched gears? Take a minute to look over 2009’s most popular pieces: the scarf, pastel polo, low cut v-necks and the Jonas breed of girl-tight denim.

Daily you can look to movies, fashion ads or TV shows (IE: Tool Academy 2),to witness the manly man’s decline. Wondering if the youngsters watching will follow their footsteps or long for a confident, natural dude that our media rarely showcases.

Is more maintenance what you guys really want from fashion, or has it gone too far ? A side from the powdered Wigs of the past, did you ever think you would debate about Real’s Chance of hair-extensions or the Details of guy-lining Adam Lambert from idol? Personally I think nothing is more attractive than a guy with his own solid style. Yet by the looks of it, us ladies will have to adapt to being able to share hair products and jeans.

That is unless you take a stand! Start being the example of how to rock the classics. Buy only the reliable basics you can comfortably live & breathe in! Starting with the button up plaid flannel.

Maxim As seen in plaid by AngelicaRose featuring RVCA

Plaid looks amazing on everyone and was made for the working man, so they are especially great for when it’s cold. Pioneering over a white tee or Beckham’s way underneath a vest for a board meeting.Classics like these ones go to show you how a dynamic item, can benefit both worlds.They are such a quality piece that even the pages of Maxim lent a tribute to the pattern, in an “Old School vs. New School”  Challenge (above).

Check out their key plaid playa’s Bruce Springsteen (The Boss) and Lil’ Wayne. As well as our favorites (below) Jay Adams and Snoop Dogg who are always looking Bad in plaid.

Whether you like the West Coast browns,baby blues or even your classic red plaids. Check out our Lost Bowery, Halifax, Pryda, Shifted, the Lrg Thoroughbred or Rusty’s Flamble seen above. Here we always go for quality and innovation so try matching your kicks to the top with a pair of printed Vox Hewitt shoes.

-Angelica