Primitive expands retail and wholesale businesses

Aside from Nike, Primitive also carries other skateboard brands like Vans, Adidas Skate, Gourmet, Converse, and Supra. They also started doing collaborations with brands like Diamond Supply Company (T-shirt and hat), and Vans (two separate shoes), as well as a shoe with DVS coming out next year.

About this time last year, Netkin and Rodriguez launched a wholesale private label line for Primitive as well. Netkin said they always planned to launch an apparel brand, but wanted to start with a boutique first.

So far, the Primitive line is mostly Ts and hats, and they recently starting making a few cut-and-sew pieces.

Netkin said his wholesale business and retail have been doubling every year, though they are starting off small numbers.

The wholesale line is currently in about 80 accounts in the U.S., and Southern California is still the company’s biggest market, though they just opened up Canada and Europe to select distribution.

They also opened their second retail flagship store this past July in Berlin, Germany, where Primitive’s main European distributor is located.

Netkin said that since there is such a huge demand for limited skateboarding products in Europe, the Berlin store is usually busy.

At MAGIC, Netkin was busy writing orders. He said he was slammed the entire time at the Agenda show the week prior.

I asked Netkin if Primitive’s retail stores or if the new wholesale line would be a bigger focus.

He said that while both the shops and brand are both growing rapidly at the same pace, he thinks the wholesale line has the most potential for growth.