Lost Clothing hires Johnny Monson and Chris Boland from Blackhart/Allyance

Updated 1/18 with comments from Johnny Monson

A quick piece of news that surfaced yesterday.

Lost Clothing has hired Johnny Monson and Chris Boland of the Blackhart Brotherhood and formerly of Allyance.

Johnny, right,  will be Lost Clothing creative director and Chris will be design director.

They already started on an early holiday collection and will have full control of the spring 2010 line, Lost Clothing President Tim Garrett said.

La Jolla Group CEO Toby Bost told me Johnny and Chris fit perfectly with the Lost DNA and grew up in the neighborhood where the brand was founded.

Previous Lost design head Jim Zapala, who was ready for a new challenge, will now head up Rusty Clothing design. Toby said Rusty needed to move to the next level, and Jim's design expertise will help the brand get there.

I sent Johnny an email from Florida asking about his new position, and he sent this response: 

"Lost is one of the few and only brands in this industry that was founded on hardgoods/surfboards. This brand deserves to be here and Matt deserves his cred!

"It's back to the basics these days and the fundementals of what this industry was founded on. Innovation and radical ideas. A lifestlye that few understand - but many emulate."