There’s been a fair amount of chat about Kelly Slater’s Outerknown since its official launch last week, most of it relating to the price tags attached to the brand’s first range of clothing. Obviously the prices are fairly high, relative to standard surf brand fare; equally obviously, Outerknown is not attempting to be a standard surf brand, but rather a high-end fashion one with a slight surfing bent and an emphasis on sustainability. Perhaps you think it’s still overpriced, perhaps you think it’s not all that fashionable, fair enough; but a recent Instagram exchange between a “next level dipshit” and Slater himself raised a few interesting points. The comments in question have since been deleted, but a transcript, courtesy of BeachGrit, can be read below:
Original Comment:
Get yo head str8 de man @kellyslater I don’t want to hear it’s your fault. You should have known the prices before It went live. Think about your roots. Could your mom have afforded this when you were growing up? Get real man. As a fellow Floridian I am disgusted. Way to represent surfing and surfers and sustainability. How is it sustainable when you have to spend so much money to buy at shirt? As others have said, it’s totally possible to have a sustainable eco friendly product at a lower price point. You better say something to the media soon because your credibility has gone way down by having your name associated with this shit brand.
Kelly’s Response:
You’re gonna use my mom against me? My mom couldn’t afford lunch when I was growing up! I didn’t have two pairs of clean socks as a teenager, literally. So please tell me what exactly is it I owe you again? Someone got a gun to your head to purchase a higher end brand item? Did someone say this was a high volume, low price play? The amount of hatred is next level from dipshits like yourself. I’m a big boy and can stand up for myself. Feel free to unfollow or be blocked. No problem. I honestly don’t mind either way. When the surf product comes out people will learn about it. If people actually want to know the story of how the brand was created and what things cost to be done on certain levels, that will come out. The personal attacks and name calling have been nothing short of unbelievable. People need to grow up.
Timo Jarvinen, former Surf Europe staff photographer and quite arguably one of surfing’s 10 best lensmen, got involved in the ensuing BeachGrit debate with the following broadside:
All you crybabies need to wake up, nobody gave more to surfing than Slater and as far as i know this is a free world where one can create any kind of a business they ever wish. If OK is outside of your budget then don’t buy it, easy as that. The fact that it makes all the ferals cry tells a lot about the demand.. Lots of wasted energy here. Would it be better if OK comes out with a cheapo line of t’s and beanies targeted to all you who are angry enough to spill your guts out due hatred? Would you then be happy, wearing those mentioned $10 t’s and beanies whipped up by child labor for your pleasure? You are giving away plenty print designs here, for free, since sounds like you’d be happy to walk around wearing a t with a massive photo of sweatshop printed in it.
Oh my god, why do i even bother to comment on this, trolls who don’t have life without internet aren’t worth a comment, really.
Followed, when asked what Kelly had ever given to surfing, by this:
You might start with progression first, he’s been pushing that envelope through generations, and he’s been followed. Being a major influence to top pros as well as average joes down the street is hard thing to ignore. Just watch KS in black and white, then think about when it came out and how that felt like at that time. Stuff of aliens. Board design comes also to a mind, without his input there would be way more 6’4″s than 5’9″s in lineups around the world. He’s not afraid to think outside of box, and usually things spread from tip of a pyramid down to street level where we can try to pick them up. I don’t wanna write a list here, if you don’t think he hasn’t given anything to surfing then that’s your opinion. I can live with that. But the day when he’s done with being in limelight, there will be an empty space and to fill that will be hard.
It’s disgusting to read all those comments full of hate and anger, i shouldn’t be even writing anything here, but man i’m just tripping out how people have time and will to dig negative out from everything. Life’s too short for that, and bothering why someone does this or that is great way to waste some energy, especially when all those decisions are outside of your reach. When there’s nothing one can do about them. I wonder what haters did before internet, went home and stared wall all grumpy behind closed curtains?
Go on Timo, sock it to ’em!
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