At the PGA Merchandise Show, softgoods vendors continued to develop the tech-laden side of their business, but there was also a turn back toward the classic cotton looks that were a part of the golf business for so long. In apparel, the tech/cotton divide was still evident between performance and lifestyle, but many companies were also blurring the line through the use of cotton/poly blends that looked more golf shirt and less disco. In ultra-tech, an emphasis was placed on moving and removing seams to allow a more fluid swing without chafing. In footwear, the focus shifted up from last years emphasis on the outsole to now focusing on the upper and better ways of keeping the foot in place.
At adidas Golf, meanwhile, the brand introduced Formotion line which features the usual tech story that adidas has delivered for a while now with wicking, heat control and all that, but paired with a unique seam structure that moves the typical shoulder seam off the shoulder and down below the shoulder blade. The idea with the design is simply that now sleeves will not need to be hiked up before each swing. However, the technology introduced by adidas that probably will not make headlines, but should, is a redesign of the collar. Through a unique manufacturing process that is, of course, proprietary and confidential, adidas claims to have designed a ribbed collar that will not flip, fold under or do anything but stay in the shape it was first intended to have.
Ashworth is embracing the golf, life, style side for the business with a line that has a heavy emphasis on cotton. The looks are more subdued than last years heavily youth-oriented introductions. By and large, prints are gone. Once again, the call remains the same for the brand: recapture the fashion magic that made Ashworth what it was at its apex. The belief is that with the financial backing of adidas, the brand can accomplish that feat. The interplay between the adidas Golf, Ashworth and SunIce brands follows this line: adidas will be technical, Ashworth will be style and SunIce will focus on heavy duty, Gore-Tex outerwear.
Ecco unveiled two new lines at the show with an emphasis on style in one and performance in the other. In addition, to tie its whole collection together, Ecco unveiled its four-dots logo that fades in and out of prominence depending on the particular shoe. For the World Class line- which is at the very high-end of the companys offerings and features- Eccos direct injected PU and leather welt midsole paired with a water-repellant leature outsole, the logo is tonal and very subedued. However, for the Ultra Performance line, which features the PU midsole and a stability system that wraps around the heel and arch, the four-dots logo is in contrasting colors driving a high level of visability.
Ping Collection showcased its fall selection, which features an emphasis on body mapping, strategic venting in “hot spots” and some back treatment for select designs.
Key items from Ping will include the compression mock, a technical, long sleeve mock turtleneck that features Zensah compression technology.
Puma expanded the SmartQuill footwear line it initially debuted last year with the introduction of womens product and lower-priced mens. The entire Puma line has definitely matured since its introduction to the golf market three years ago. From a line with some home runs and a few misses, the company now has on display a full collection in which nearly every piece looks like it could be a major seller. The remaining few are attention grabbers. On the apparel side, a major push for Puma was the InvisiBonding Polo that features a seamless design and UV protection.
PAHR was on the floor again this year, but with a slightly paired down line. The company dropped two colorways to ease purchasing decisions for retailers and also likely to ease their own inventory management. The youthful vibe was still present with prints and plaids. The company also launched a baselayer line aptly named Under Pahr. Management at the company noted that 2009 was really a staying alive year. The focus is on delivering products to their accounts with 2010 expected to be a major growth year for Pahr.
Representatives from Under Armour said the brand would try to maintain appeal to the younger consumer for 2009, but has made a concerted effort to increase interest in its product line for the older consumer. New styles for 2009 include the Signature and Apex polos. Both lines feature Under Armours lightweight, breathable Heat Gear material and anti-odor protection, but the Signature utilizes Body Mapping construction while the Apex features mesh panels under the arms for increased ventilation. Also available from Under Armour will be the Enforcer polo, which features mesh inserts under the arms and a sublimated printed lightweight HeatGear mesh rear.
Also notable in the show were debuts from J. Lindebergs golf collection, a European-inspired, high-priced fashion oriented line worn currently by fast-rising PGA star Camillo Villegas. The J. Lindeberg collection, clearly tailored for youthful golfers with slim builds, features cutting-edge designs and ultra-slim fits. The most eye-catching products on display were the JL Drip and Stripe, a 96% cotton, 4% elastane polo-style shirt featuring a dripping stripe pattern on the front, and the Swipe, a 100% polyester polo-style shirt displaying an assymetrical brush-style design on the top two-thirds of the garment.
