PGA Fall Expo Hosts Divergent Trends; Though The Market Continues to Reflect Games Past…
In Las Vegas last week, the PGA Fall Expo saw an apparel palette that
had blues and greens continuing to hold strong on the color front,
while a few manufacturers looked for eco-friendly options, and many
brought a tech story to more traditional looks. Color blocking was
popular with a spectrum of obvious to subdued in effect. There is also
a move to capture the dollars of the youth golfer with companies trying
a variety of looks and approaches on both the design and distribution
front. In footwear, a small eco story was out told by the continued
shift on the wall between the traditional saddle shoe and a growing
athletic story. Some vendors looked to hybrid the two either through a
fashion look or through a traditional color story on a more athletic
silhouette.
On the hardgoods front, high-MOI began its slide thru the woods and
beyond while several manufacturers looked to step into vacant yardage
slots. Using the argument that the new technologies being applied to
golf clubs are causing a redistribution as far as club yardages is
concerned, several manufacturers launched single clubs or entire club
sets that either more evenly distribute distances or fill a gap in the
new yardage structure. Of the latter sort, Wilson launched its Fybrid
club that it says fills the 5 wood to 3 hybrid gap.
Nike Golf had a handful of
launches for attendees to see including taking the Sumo SQ” technology
all the way down to hybrids with launch dates of 2/1 for the new driver
and fairway woods and 11/1 for the hybrids and new Slingshot HD irons.
The company also launched the IC putter with a green head so the eye
can more easily focus on the alignment tool.
The story at Bridgestone
continues to be its success with balls, both under the Bridgestone
brand and under Precept. Lady Precept was said to be performing well,
especially its Lady IQ sporting a low compression rate.
Element 21 was on the floor
with its Scandium technology, which the company has launched into the
fishing market with success as well. The Emc” driver is the companys
first club with Scandium in the face.
At the Bag Boy Company, where
parent company Dynamic Brands acquisition of Slotline putters was
causing excitement, the focus was on compact. To that end, the company
launched the Compact LX and Compact 600, which fold down to an
exceptionally small size. The electric and remote control carts were
said to still be a niche marketplace, but growing.
New to the show floor was Hozell.
Founded in SoCal, the young company is reaching out to the young golfer
who might also be found out on the waves or in the skatepark. The line
is definitely a move towards lifestyle with smart graphical
treatments, boutique touches and hidden details like labels with
unique quotes.
J. Lindeberg opted to tap the
wonders of nature for its product line, featuring natural fabrics like
wool and looking to broaden the companys age demographic focus. Its
top seller continues to be the H2Off short which offers waterproofing
technology.
Life is Good was at the show
looking to open those course-side doors as a lifestyle and fashion
brand. The company brought its usual laidback approach to the
proceedings along though geared for the golf world including the
necessary cotton pique polo shirt.
Cutter & Buck offered an
expanded selection of CoCoNA product including the new DryTecLuxe line.
The Annika line continues its move to a more feminine silhouette, with
V-necks and other stylized necklines popular, while skorts were called
out as performing well in bottoms. At the companys nascent CBUK brand,
a part of the youth movement, CoCoNA and its accompanying eco/tech
story was on display along with tech fabrications that managed the
story, without the tech look.
Ping Apparel, which is licensed
by Perry Ellis, utilized both CoCoNA and bamboo in its lineup including
a CoCona short. The company has foregone 100% cotton altogether, opting
to replace the classic 2-ply double-mercerized with a 60/40 blend.
Fila has its line segmented
into the high-end Italia line with design queues taken from the
companys Italian heritage, and the Green line that features bamboo
constructions and more of a technology storyline.
Callaway Apparel, meanwhile
segmented its line into quarters with the X-series in its fourth season
focusing on the performance aspect of things and a concentration this
season on the introduction of body mapping, though in a subdued manner.
Puma, who had a busy show, is
perhaps most well known for the hybrid approach blending performance
and fashion to twist the traditional, but Etonic
also had a few styles that offered the appearance of saddle shoe, but
featured a more athletic build. Etonic continues to open new on
course doors with its glove line.
Hi-Tec hopes to offer cutting
edge product every time its steps onto the show floor, this time opting
for an eco approach with its Enviro in both brown and black. On
the tech front, the companys CDT line continues to offer performance
and stability.
At Bite footwear, things are on
pace after the Crox acquisition (see SEW_0732) with the company
continuing to sell its sandals line, while also now focusing its
efforts on a flip-flop line developed for after golf.
