Huf is done

[Francis Xavier]

Krooked is going to have a shoe team?

[shit_for_brains]

Isn't the Cromer 2 supposed to drop spring '19? A new shoe for only one season? IDK

They just simply don't produce those shoes.

[hangontoyourego]

Huf is fuckin wack, bout as spicy as salt n pepper.

[mattchew]

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so does this mean Lakai is done also?  arent they made and distributed all the same?

[close]

www.renegadebrandgroup.com

They aren't listed on the site but google searches say altamont capital/renegade also own Girl. Everyone was worried about the sportswear brands and didn't see the investors coming in the back door. It was the skaters who sold their brands to these people.

While this is true, it was the sportswear companies that created the need for outside investors in the first place.

[Madam, I'm Adam]

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so does this mean Lakai is done also? aren't they made and distributed all the same?

[close]

www.renegadebrandgroup.com

They aren't listed on the site but google searches say altamont capital/renegade also own Girl. Everyone was worried about the sportswear brands and didn't see the investors coming in the back door. It was the skaters who sold their brands to these people.

[close]

girl/crail bought themselves out of altamont pretty quick (like within a year or so) but left lakai which is 'overseen' by huf. doesn't necessarily mean lakai will stop making shoes, maybe some huf riders who don't get picked up will switch to the flare

That would be intriguing, but I wonder if Lakai has the funds to legitimately put anyone else on. Or if anyone on Huf would actually want to get on. I could see Huf himself and maybe Bledsoe due to Fourstar, but I doubt Rizzo or Drysen would. Definitely not Gillette, but who knows. Also I can't think of a time when two shoe company teams amalgamated.

[huggs]

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Talk about short term thinking from the investors end. They stop supporting skating and lose any credibility they had. RIP

[close]

Lesson time, newbie. The credibility has already been established OUTSIDE of skateboarding. They just used skateboarders to do it. There's a hell of a lot more people that DON'T skate and rock HUF gear, than there is skaters that do. Add up the amount of money paid to the riders, the filming production, per diem, plane tix, meals, and hotels, etc. Now eliminate those expenses. Your profit margin just went up. 

The target demographic does not understand legitimacy in skateboarding. They understand swag, trends, posing, fronts, etc.

Stop expecting the legitimacy of skateboarding to be sold to you by a brand. Brands consume legitimate street culture and sell a watered down version of it to a mass consumer market. By their nature brands are not legitimate sources of cultural evolution they are only distorted reflections of the past.

disagree somewhat with the above. while mainstream streetwear can be viewed only as a trend marker, in this case without skateboarding driving the core of huf's or any skate related business - however small - it isn't cool anymore. airwalk tried, remember? not just a matter of simply cutting the skate program to save money, if that's what gives u credibilty/edge/etc in the first place

so while maybe risky to stop their shoe program, huf can still support skateboarding as a clothing co. i'd be surprised if they'd abandon skateboarding outright – that seems like brand suicide, not cutting shoes. plus it's keith hufnagel after all. look at supreme, they don't make shoes except for collabs but they're still heavily involved w/ skating – which is integral to their it factor

bottom line is tho if the shoes aren't profitable, they're not profitable. hard to keep doing something when it doesn't make any money, no matter the reason

[RossDailey]

I love Huf the skater, during his era... but Huf shoes aren't anything special. This makes sense though as I swear I saw Josh Matthews skating in Converse the other day at the park.

You sure they weren't the Hupper 2???

They look exactly like the Chuck Taylor...

[huggs]

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maybe some huf riders who don't get picked up will switch to the flare

[close]

That would be intriguing, but I wonder if Lakai has the funds to legitimately put anyone else on. Or if anyone on Huf would actually want to get on. I could see Huf himself and maybe Bledsoe due to Fourstar, but I doubt Rizzo or Drysen would. Definitely not Gillette, but who knows. Also I can't think of a time when two shoe company teams amalgamated.

was thinking of it in terms of soletech: es, emerica, etnies. haven't some ppl switched before? was actually surprised lakai & huf didn't do more stuff together – like a tour, for instance. maybe they just ran out of time ;(

and ya would think the more high profile guys get swooped up by adidas/cons/nb/nike/vans, but like whoever else is already in their system the relationship is there. agree austyn seems primed for a both a big board & shoe sponsor

[FS-OverKOOK]

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Talk about short term thinking from the investors end. They stop supporting skating and lose any credibility they had. RIP

[close]

Lesson time, newbie. The credibility has already been established OUTSIDE of skateboarding. They just used skateboarders to do it. There's a hell of a lot more people that DON'T skate and rock HUF gear, than there is skaters that do. Add up the amount of money paid to the riders, the filming production, per diem, plane tix, meals, and hotels, etc. Now eliminate those expenses. Your profit margin just went up. 

[close]

Expand Quote

The target demographic does not understand legitimacy in skateboarding. They understand swag, trends, posing, fronts, etc.

Stop expecting the legitimacy of skateboarding to be sold to you by a brand. Brands consume legitimate street culture and sell a watered down version of it to a mass consumer market. By their nature brands are not legitimate sources of cultural evolution they are only distorted reflections of the past.

[close]

disagree somewhat with the above. while mainstream streetwear can be viewed only as a trend marker, in this case without skateboarding driving the core of huf's or any skate related business - however small - it isn't cool anymore. airwalk tried, remember? not just a matter of simply cutting the skate program to save money, if that's what gives u credibilty/edge/etc in the first place

so while maybe risky to stop their shoe program, huf can still support skateboarding as a clothing co. i'd be surprised if they'd abandon skateboarding outright – that seems like brand suicide, not cutting shoes. plus it's keith hufnagel after all. look at supreme, they don't make shoes except for collabs but they're still heavily involved w/ skating – which is integral to their it factor

bottom line is tho if the shoes aren't profitable, they're not profitable. hard to keep doing something when it doesn't make any money, no matter the reason

He sold the company. The firm that owns HUF also owns Lakai so they are still in the skate shoe biz.

[Budgie Lasek]

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I love Huf the skater, during his era... but Huf shoes aren't anything special. This makes sense though as I swear I saw Josh Matthews skating in Converse the other day at the park.

[close]

You sure they weren't the Hupper 2???

They look exactly like the Chuck Taylor...

No, they were one of the one star low top shoes in white, but - the whole time I was wondering if the guy was just a really close doppelganger. He was skating in Encinitas. If so, it was uncanny.

[Ducky Fucky]

Can't wait to see what happens.

[augustmoon]

"skater owned brand"

[potpie]

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Damn that's shitty. Talk about short term thinking from the investors end. They stop supporting skating and lose any credibility they had. RIP

[close]

Lesson time, newbie.  The credibility has already been established OUTSIDE of skateboarding.  They just used skateboarders to do it.  There's a hell of a lot more people that DON'T skate and rock HUF gear, than there is skaters that do.  Add up the amount of money paid to the riders, the filming production, per diem, plane tix, meals, and hotels, etc.  Now eliminate those expenses.  Your profit margin just went up. 

Stay in school, kid.

thats a myopic view, they're a fashion brand and their biggest appeal is what their image in popular culture is. losing skateboarding is just another step toward losing their brand identity. their clothing is already mostly indistinguishable from the other soon to be shuttered streetwear brands ie the hundreds/10 deep. they won't be saved by cutting a skate team, it's a short term move to appeal to investors. RIP

[potpie]

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Talk about short term thinking from the investors end. They stop supporting skating and lose any credibility they had. RIP

[close]

Lesson time, newbie. The credibility has already been established OUTSIDE of skateboarding. They just used skateboarders to do it. There's a hell of a lot more people that DON'T skate and rock HUF gear, than there is skaters that do. Add up the amount of money paid to the riders, the filming production, per diem, plane tix, meals, and hotels, etc. Now eliminate those expenses. Your profit margin just went up. 

[close]

Expand Quote

The target demographic does not understand legitimacy in skateboarding. They understand swag, trends, posing, fronts, etc.

Stop expecting the legitimacy of skateboarding to be sold to you by a brand. Brands consume legitimate street culture and sell a watered down version of it to a mass consumer market. By their nature brands are not legitimate sources of cultural evolution they are only distorted reflections of the past.

[close]

disagree somewhat with the above. while mainstream streetwear can be viewed only as a trend marker, in this case without skateboarding driving the core of huf's or any skate related business - however small - it isn't cool anymore. airwalk tried, remember? not just a matter of simply cutting the skate program to save money, if that's what gives u credibilty/edge/etc in the first place

so while maybe risky to stop their shoe program, huf can still support skateboarding as a clothing co. i'd be surprised if they'd abandon skateboarding outright – that seems like brand suicide, not cutting shoes. plus it's keith hufnagel after all. look at supreme, they don't make shoes except for collabs but they're still heavily involved w/ skating – which is integral to their it factor

bottom line is tho if the shoes aren't profitable, they're not profitable. hard to keep doing something when it doesn't make any money, no matter the reason

thanks, you get it

[Mr. Kamikazi]

I wonder how recent this decision would have come about. I'm skeptical to say the least.

[yungthug]

Bouta load up on clearance Huf shoes.

I made out like a bandit after MJ left Lakai and retailers were trying to get rid of his signature shoe.

[Watson]

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I love Huf the skater, during his era... but Huf shoes aren't anything special. This makes sense though as I swear I saw Josh Matthews skating in Converse the other day at the park.

[close]

You sure they weren't the Hupper 2???

They look exactly like the Chuck Taylor...

Except for the H on the side. And the lack of a rubber toe. And that piece going around the side. And the general shape. But yeah besides that exactly.

[White Owl]

Also Austyn 2 is coming out in July doubt he’d film and they’d paid for all that ad campaign for a season run you all are fools

His shoe got canceled. I guess less than 10% of their overall sales was from footwear. Makes complete sense to just focus on apparel

[huggs]

I wonder how recent this decision would have come about. I'm skeptical to say the least.

I guess less than 10% of their overall sales was from footwear. Makes complete sense to just focus on apparel.

welp

[Avon]

Damn just bought some HUF galaxy for first time and really like them. hope this aint true

[verylowimpact]

If true...wow. Keith is the real winner here. Sells his shit company built on weed socks to some clueless conglomerate and they go out of business. He cashes out though. Well played Hufnagel. 

[colt cannon lunchbox]

Also Austyn 2 is coming out in July doubt he’d film and they’d paid for all that ad campaign for a season run you all are fools

Look at what happened with Neen and Circa

[oyolar]

Also, what Austyn 2 ad campaign?  I haven't seen anything about the model.

[honey island]

austyn & cromer will probably get paid out.

[snowman600]

If HUF goes under due to the Terpening curse, I'm gonna punch kevin in the dick.

[stevedave]

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Damn that's shitty. Talk about short term thinking from the investors end. They stop supporting skating and lose any credibility they had. RIP

[close]

Lesson time, newbie.  The credibility has already been established OUTSIDE of skateboarding.  They just used skateboarders to do it.  There's a hell of a lot more people that DON'T skate and rock HUF gear, than there is skaters that do.  Add up the amount of money paid to the riders, the filming production, per diem, plane tix, meals, and hotels, etc.  Now eliminate those expenses.  Your profit margin just went up. 

Stay in school, kid.

[close]

thats a myopic view, they're a fashion brand and their biggest appeal is what their image in popular culture is. losing skateboarding is just another step toward losing their brand identity. their clothing is already mostly indistinguishable from the other soon to be shuttered streetwear brands ie the hundreds/10 deep. they won't be saved by cutting a skate team, it's a short term move to appeal to investors. RIP

While I see what you're saying, I guess my point/question is this.  Do you think any of the people in "popular culture" see HUF as a skateboard shoe company?  No, as YOU said, "they're a fashion brand".  Go ask any non-skateboarder that wears HUF shit if he/she knows who Josh Matthews or Brad Cromer is.  Chances are they have no idea.  So Hufnagel, as a skateboarder, used his skateboarding background to legitimize his fashion brand.  Now that it's full established as a fashion brand and not a skate shoe company, why would they keep the skate program?  The mainstream knows nothing about HUF as a skateboarding brand, so why continue to dump money into the skate program when it really accounts for such a small margin of profit. 

[h00man]

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Also Austyn 2 is coming out in July doubt he’d film and they’d paid for all that ad campaign for a season run you all are fools

[close]

His shoe got canceled. I guess less than 10% of their overall sales was from footwear. Makes complete sense to just focus on apparel

Worst news all day. Will be stocking up on the rest of the Dylans. Wish they could at least  release the Gillette 2's...

[SneakySecrets]

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Also Austyn 2 is coming out in July doubt he’d film and they’d paid for all that ad campaign for a season run you all are fools

[close]

His shoe got canceled. I guess less than 10% of their overall sales was from footwear. Makes complete sense to just focus on apparel

[close]

Worst news all day. Will be stocking up on the rest of the Dylans. Wish they could at least  release the Gillette 2's...

Anyone ever skate his first shoe? I feel like that little heel would mindfuck me so bad.

[The Drew]

HUF is owned by TSI holdings (they have a 90% stake in the company) based in Japan.

My budy Ryo does all the HUF sakte stuff here, I will ask him at the park on the weekend what the deal is

[Melanoma]

Feel bad for Austyn always getting shit axed since he left habitat