Action sports brands woo investors at Capital Forum

Continued (page 4 of 4)...

PT talked about Rhythm's Australian heritage, and how the brand was rooted in the same culture that launched him. He even broke out his hot-pink original Quiksilver trunks, which he joked, "wouldn't fit on one leg now."

Great surf apparel brands are based on great surf trunks, he said.

The Rhythm name and story are helping the brand get shelf space - and window space - in core stores, which as a distribution channel seem to be giving precious little room to young brands, PT said.

"Everybody wants ‘Rhythm'" he said. "That name itself is selling the shirts, even to non-surfers."

Jye walked the room through Rhythm's current product - a two-seam, high performance board short, printed walk shorts and Ts. And he walked them through what they see as Rhythm's growth vehicle: fall, winter and cool-weather apparel, which the Australian mother brand doesn't produce.

Rhythm is looking for $300,000 - $500,000 to develop, manufacture and market a fall line of hoodies, sweaters, jackets and jeans, and thus grow the business to $5 million by 2012.