I caught up with Dean Quinn this week to see what is happening with his brand O’Quinn. O’Quinn is a premium apparel brand carried at better surf shops, boutiques and Bloomingdale’s.
Dean shared lots of news, including that the brand will add a juniors line in the fall.
What were some significant milestones for O’Quinn in 2008?
Dean: In spite of the tough economic climate, O’Quinn had significant sales growth within its current account base. We were also able to add some great new retailers to an already solid group. At the product level, we had a great year in boardshorts and tee shirts, and were in the top 10 in those categories in most of our accounts.
How much did sales grow?
Dean: Bookings grew over 400% from Spring 2008 to Spring 2009.
Are you adding new categories and/or do you have new initiatives for 2009?
Dean: We are excited about our new Surf Tee for Summer 2009. It’s a tee shirt with a small amount of Lycra designed for use in and out of the water.
We are also focusing on expanding our denim program into the proper price points for our Surf/Skate retailers. In addition, we will be introducing our Juniors collection at ASR and Surf Expo in September.
Is there a certain channel of distribution that is doing really well for O’Quinn right now?
Dean: We’ve been doing well in both surf/skate and specialty retailers alike.
What are you hearing from retailers about spring orders? I’ve heard from some brands that retailers want to order in season. How are you handling that situation?
Dean: Spring 2009 bookings are already in and our numbers are way up. I do hear that, do to the current economic climate, retailers are gravitating more towards in season buys. So we need to be patient and flexible and work with our accounts to ensure success for everyone.
What is the biggest challenge for O’Quinn in 2009?
Dean: Our biggest challenge will be continuing growth while keeping a low overhead. We are very lucky to have a group of people at O’Quinn that can do anything that’s asked of them. We’ve always tried to hire multi-faceted individuals. We have a core of very talented people working here and it shows everyday.
What is the biggest opportunity for O’Quinn in 2009?
Dean: Our biggest opportunity in 2009 will be working closely with our retailers in order to be a more profitable brand for them. This is going to be a time when retailers are going to need the assistance of brands of all sizes. I can foresee a changing of the guard of sorts, with some established brands falling aside and being replaced by newer, fresher names.
