I can just hear the self-proclaimed “core surfers” screaming at me through their laptop screens after reading that headline. “Rabble, rabble, rabble, f***ing kook,” they’ll proclaim. Because of course, why wouldn’t they?
Like many things in surfing, once something becomes too cool it’s no longer cool. Hayden Cox has a brand that’s aligned with a luxury car company. He’s clearly been doing things differently than your average shaper. He’s been featured in Forbes, he’s collaborated with Alexander Wang…and I’ve heard my fair share of people try to explain their beef with Hayden Cox. The reality is, he’s the designer of what’s probably the most recognizable surfboard on the planet and therefore, he has his haters.
But about eight or nine months ago I took Cox’s New Wave Vision along with me on a trip. His manifesto’s complete with business philosophies he applies in and out of the surf industry and of course, how the Hypto Krypto did play into launching Haydenshapes as a massively recognizable brand. But that last part is really just what the rest of us see on the surface. While I won’t dig into the specifics of the book (because you can read that yourself if you really want), I’ll sum up my own takeaways of what makes the man and his brand so different in our little surf world bubble: He doesn’t think, operate, or even exist in our little surf world bubble. He doesn’t refer to himself as a shaper, as most would. He’s a designer. And that’s cool. He gives attention to the smallest details, intentionally developing the black and white aesthetic familiar with the Haydenshapes brand. He gives the same level of attention to designing his shops. He gives attention to everything, it seems.
And then this morning I came across this video. It’s a collaboration with MR PORTER, a “gasp” men’s fashion website, with Cox sharing his philosophy on something pretty universal in the business world: the importance of a productive morning. One of my favorite nuggets? “You’re designing for an experience and that experience is very personal to different people.”
