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- 80 - Can wetsuits be fashionable?
Welcome sports innovators to the future of sport.
Let’s talk about wetsuits & fashion.
Three start-up brands, three ways to tackle wetsuit fashion.
SMASHED IT!!!
7TILL8
These guys get it.
Custom fit wetsuits. Sick style and by all accounts super quality.
They take 16+ measurements to create a precise custom fit wetsuit that can stretch from head to toe. Fit done!
They also offer free alterations and repairs on all custom wetsuits.
We predict strong, strong growth provided their marketing and stylists work with celebrities and influencers.
Learn more here 👈🧠👀
IN THE GAME
FUNKY SEAL
Funky Seal Wetsuits have committed and got off to the right footing, but need to do more. Are they “beautiful”, “fashionable” items? Or are they funky?
“The right blend of fashion and funk-tion”.
Our take - go funk-tion. Funk out on your website, funk out on your designs.
Take a leap from Oodie - go big or go home (https://theoodie.co.uk/)
Our network says you have great wetsuits, just need everything about the brand to be a bit more funky.
Learn more here 👈🧠👀
SHOT IN THE DARK
LOCO Wetsuits
Hey Fiona, if you are reading this; it’s not that you have done a bad job it’s just a little bit off-beat.
You have the right ideas and correctly identified the problems with wetsuits, but we feel you need to commit to one thing, and commit hard!
Either become the most fashionable wetsuit brand out there, become the most sustainable, popularise yamamoto rubber, or smash your butterfly entry system.
Too much going on, not enough focus - pick one and nail it.
Learn more here 👈🧠👀
What do your team-mates think? 👨🏼👩🏾🦱👨🏻🦳👳🏿♂️👨🏾🦱
Forward to a friend.
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COACH CORNER
The wetsuit market is really interesting. Despite many brands trying to make it exciting, fun, personalised; still over 90% of wetsuit sales are black. Furthermore, no brand has really grabbed the market and elevated it to the point where quality beats cheap. It seems like there is a hard balance to meet the right consumer price versus quality versus fashion.
Here is our take on how to tackle the wetsuit industry.
Go modular:
Step 1 - do two things right. Create the best fitting wetsuit ever and make it easy to get on / off. Don’t ever compromise on this. This is your base and best selling suit.
Make sure you never get a rip with quality fasteners, seam locations, or a clever repair system.
Have a signature look that appeals to lots (1000+) of people
Step 2 - make it modular. Make function additional - make it paid. For example, easy to add insulation. Easy to add sleeves / gloves. Easy to add hoods. UV spray.
Step 3 - Move to patterns or styles in year 3 to 5 - fashion is the last step unfortunately. Look at the big guys.
We call this brand FLAIR - make-it-your-own wetsuit by adding FLAIR
Learn more about us
Thanks for your support!!!! 🙌💕
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PLAYBOOK
SMASHED IT!!! - Start-ups or innovators knocking it out of the park
IN THE GAME - Good idea. Just needs few improvements to make it to the big leagues
SHOT IN THE DARK - Back to the drawing board
COACH CORNER - Our views based on 20 years experience at the cutting edge of sport