Sneak peek at action sports styles for fall

Perhaps you thought the '90s grunge trend was buried in the past? Think again.
The resurrection of the Nirvana-inspired style was just one of the new trends unveiled this past weekend as hundreds of action-sports and lifestyle brands converged at the Agenda Tradeshow in Long Beach to showcase upcoming styles for summer and fall.
The growth of the show, which included nearly 600 brands and an estimated 1,300 attendees at the Long Beach Convention Center, points at a healthy upswing for the action-sports industry.
"The industry is headed in an upward direction," said Agenda founder Aaron Levant. "I think the doom and gloom of '08 has subsided to a certain extent."
Here's a look at some trends and new products coming from Orange County action-sports companies big and small:
1. The 90s are back.
Consumers will see a lot of plaids, along with rose and floral prints, a throwback to 90s, said Tara Ventimiglia, product placement manager for Irvine-based Billabong.
For swimwear, solids and basic triangle tops are strong, and the one-piece is making a strong come back.
Ventimiglia also showed a collaboration with artist Michael Muller, known for photographing sharks underwater. Billabong is releasing a line called "White Mike," which has a big, toothy great white popping out of the fabric. There's a one-piece swimsuit with the image, along with two women's tanks and men's board shorts.
At O'Neill, spokesperson Annette Romo said baby doll and maxi dresses are making a come back in this year's line. O'Neill also had blue floral printed pants and flowing peasant tops inspired from that same era.
"There's nothing too form fitting, everything is very bohemian," Romo said. "The 90s are back."
2. Camo is strong.
The army-inspired camo look turned up in several major surf brands, but with variations and twists that reinvents the typical camouflage patterns.
Hurley's "Flamo" boardshorts, which will hit the market next fall, feature a mix of floral with slight details of gray tiger camo. The price is $65.
"Camo is a huge trend right now, everyone is doing it, but we wanted to do it in an innovative Hurley way, and combined it with a traditional floral," said Ryan Mangan, VP of design and merchandising.
3. Surf brand rethinks the jacket.
Costa Mesa-based Hurley unveiled unique men jackets wholesale for both men and women, including a jacket that can be transformed into different looks.
The Hurley "Interchange Jacket" can be worn four ways. With all the pieces, it's a long green trench with a hood, but a zipper can instantly take off the bottom half and turn the coat into a waist-length moto jacket. If you want to dress it up, the hood also zips off. The jacket is priced at $119.
The Phantom Slicker – which comes in both men's and women's sizes -- was inspired by the U.S. Coast Guard. The brand met up with the military to find out what soldiers uses to endure wet, rough conditions. The designers also thought about what traveling surfers might need while chasing surf in Costa Rica rainforests or the wet region of Ireland. The result is the water-repellent jacket that is lightweight and easy to fold and pack for surf trips.
The black Phantom Slicker has a pop of neon along the zipper line and the inside is lined with "digi (digital) camo" pattern. Price: $399
4. Oakley gets crafty.
Irvine-based Oakley plans the "Classic Craftsman Collection," sunglasses layered with paint and then hand-sanded down so each has a unique look and feel, said Aaron Quigley, National Sales Director.
The company is launching three different styles in the collection throughout the year -- April, June and September -- with only 1,500 made for each release at retailers across the United States. Price: $160.
5. Skullcandy creates Crusher.
The San Clemente company Skullcandy unveiled its new headphone called the "Crusher," an update to the "SkullCrusher," which put the firm on the map in 2005. The latest version has a built in sub-woofer in the ear cup, and a secondary driver that gives off the base. The new headphones need so much power that an additional battery is hidden in the ear cup and charges the subwoofer. The battery shuts off automatically when the product is not in use.
"It's an unbelievable product, we're super proud of it," said Scott Farnsworth, western regional sales manager. "It's been in development for over a year."
The Crusher will be $100 when it hits the market in March 2015.
6. Volcom launches shoe line.
Volcom released a new shoe line that has been in the developments for 16 months. The Costa Mesa company has been doing sandals and open-toe footwear for five years, but this is the first launch of the complete shoe collection for both men and women.
"Getting to this point has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears, trying to make sure we did everything right and making sure the designs felt like Volcom," said Ryan Immegart, senior vice pre of marketing for Volcom.
The line includes standard slip-ons, ballet flats and high-end rugged boots with insolated liner that can be worn after a long day of snowboarding in the mountains. There are 10 styles for men and 9 for women.The logos are small, "we wanted the design to speak for itself," Immegart said.
Designs are for the most part simple, but they have their Volcom voice in a few pieces, like a red and white, rock-and-roll inspired boot that is covered in loud collage artwork. Also some shoes have opposite-colored soles, one white and one black cheap wholesale clothes.
7. Krochet Kids expands brand.
The non-profit Krochet Kids International showcased several new knitted items, including women's bags and a new line for babies that include palm-sized booties and newborn hats.
The nonprofit makes more than 100,000 garments a year, and nearly 200 women are making products, with programs in Peru and soon to launch in the United States. The group recently won $500,000 from a Chase Bank contest, called the American Giving Awards, that allows Krochet Kids to expand its line and production.
Co-founder Stewart Ramsey also said a new development is that the company now makes all its silk-screen print t-shirts and hoodies in-house. More info: dinodirect.com/wholesale.html