With a smooth style on land and in the water, he helped shape the face of the brand. But now, Craig Anderson has ended his relationship with Quiksilver.
After 10 years of rocking the iconic wave breaking over a mountain on the nose of his board, Craig Anderson has reportedly split with Quiksilver.
Our friends at Stab broke the news today, stating that Ando will go his own way once his contract is up at the end of this year.
The velvety smooth goofy footer, like the surf world’s Luther Vandross, was inducted into the Quik family at the sprightly age of 10 years old. And over the course of their union, he was essential in helping the brand create a more diverse identity. Guys like Slater and Freddy P. championed the competitive, World Title chasing route, while iconoclasts like Ando and Dane Reynolds happily danced down the yellow brick road of free surfing.
But Ando’s breakup isn’t the first of late for the Quik lineup, leaving the brand like a forsaken lover, reaching for the bon bons, tissues, and watching Bridget Jones’ Diary on repeat. (Joking…I’m sure the break was amicable). Just last month Dane Reynolds ended a 12 year relationship. And before that, their one-and-only, their seemingly soulmate affair with Kelly Slater came to an end as well. It was like surfing’s version of this year’s shocking news of the split between Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog.
It’s been a rough one for the once world-dominating surf brand. After years of trudging through the throes of financial instability, Quiksilver filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The brand, which began by selling boardshorts out of the back of a van only to go on to be a behemoth of the industry, is like the surf world’s version of Shakespearean tragedy. But that’s not to say that they’ll rise again. After all, they have hordes of devoted consumers, on all coastal regions of the world and everywhere in between, like the midwesterner sporting a surf tee and in an attempt to channel his inner Johnny Tsunami.
And the next question is: Where to next, Ando? That inimitable drop knee, those luscious locks, that versatility in tubes and in the air! He’s no doubt a hot commodity for any brand to be sporting their logo. The rumor mill has been bubbling like a witch’s cauldron about Dane Reynolds building a neo-hipster apparel empire with uber stylish skaters Austin Gillete and Dylan Reider. That would seem like a good fit. Hard to imagine Ando sporting a big corpo machine on the nose of his board. Or how bout that energy drink paycheck? Doesn’t seem likely.
Wherever the Aussie stylemaster goes, he will be welcomed with open arms. Or maybe he’ll partner up with Rob Machado and start his own line of hair ties and frizz control spray. Ya never know!
