Dane partnering with Buell Wetsuits? Given that both have certainly done things their own respective ways in the surfing world, it was never that much of a stretch. Ryan Buell hinted at a collaboration in our podcast conversation with him this spring (17:45, below). “I sat on a bench not far from here and chugged a twelver with Dane and had a huge contract on the table,” Buell said at the time. “But he said, ‘f***, I like what you guys are doing but I don’t want to be the poster boy for any brand.’ I’ve got respect for him.”
Apparently (according to a presser sent today), those “super-secret” details have been worked out and a partnership is official: Mr. Reynolds will be able to guide his own line with Buell. Dane will “co-design and launch a personalized line of suits,” with Buell, reads the release. “The collection will initially offer two styles and will be made available at Buell stockists and Buell’s website early Spring 2021.”
Dane apparently wrote up the contract.
What will the suits look like? We imagine, fairly under-spoken: Reynolds and Buell will “leverage Buell’s 20+ years of design expertise along with Reynolds’ checklist: timeless style, minimal branding, premium materials, no gimmicks, no BS, just a f*ck’n good wetsuit to create Subdivision. The DR1 is for anyone looking for a wetsuit that is functional yet stylish, low-key, warm, and flexible. Durability won’t be an issue with top-of-the-line materials.” Subdivision will be the Reynolds collection released under the Buell umbrella.
The process is well underway, according to the two sides. “It’s been a pleasure working with Buell,” read Reynolds’ presser points. “The samples are insane! It started with Buell picking my brain about what I want out of a wetsuit and the DR1 is exactly that.”
“He knows what he wants and it’s refreshing,” Buell said. “We’ve been tweaking it together to make it just right. The DR1 could easily be the DR17 with how many different versions we’ve made. Dane Reynolds fans will be the real benefactors as the end result, the DR1, is fierce, all black, and all Dane.”
Find out more details here and listen to our full conversation with Ryan Buell, below.
