Custom Surf Trunks
Custom surf trunks, it must seam like a novel concept to most surfers around the world, especially the under 30 crew. Now days most surfers see the boardshorts they want before they ever step foot into a surf shop and walk into their local surf shop or shop online with the exact brand, style name and color of the boardshorts they want in mind.
It’s hard to think that just a few decades ago if you wanted a pair of surf trunks that would last longer then one session, you had to visit one of the very few places that could accommodate your needs by making a pair of custom surf trunks. The process started off by getting fitted. A fitting is the process where you get your measurements taken and I’m not just talking about your waist measurement, if you know what I mean. By doing this you could customize every aspect of how your boardshorts would fit you; waist size, how long, bagginess, etc.
Then onto fabric, in most cases you had two options; you could choose from what the “tailor” or “shop” had available or bring in your own fabric.
After your own custom fit and fabric selection, came design. In most cases, if you could dream it, then you could get it sewn. Pockets no pockets? Where do you want your pocket to go? Stripes? Where, horizontal or vertical, how wide, what color?
This was you! This was your identity! As you walked towards the water you wanted to stand out and be noticed, here I am! Not that the odd looking diving board under your arm wasn’t enough to get noticed back in the day. If you belonged to a surf club, chances are, you all wore trunks with the same design or at least had the same club jackets.
I know that in the last almost 50 years, there have been some pretty “creative” boardshorts that have left this building. That’s the story of how this surf shop got its start. Local surfers where buying swim trunks (made for a pool) from department stores, using them to surf in and leaving the beach in em“bare ass”ment.
Back in the 50’s, Walter and Nancy Katin were in the business of making custom canvas boat covers and were approached by a local surfer who needed a pair of trunks that would last more then a session or two. Using the same heavy canvas fabric (used to make boat covers) and the sewing equipment to sew through it, the Katin’s made their first pair of custom surf trunks.
Walter Katin & Sato Hughes with Customer (circa 1967)
Sadly Walter Katin passed in 1967 and Nancy Katin in 1986. The Katin’s left the business to Sato Hughes, the seamstress behind the legendary custom surf trunk name.
Today Glenn Hughes owns the surf shop and it was (and still is today) Glenn’s mom Sato Hughes who has been the technician behind the sewing machine all of these years. I caught Sato with her latest custom surf trunk creation …and it was a photo waiting to happen.
Sato Hughes and customer designed custom surf trunks
Through the years, one can only imagine the crazy styles and colors of boardshorts leaving this building.
I asked Glenn, having grown up in the shop, “What’s the wildest pair of custom trunks you remember”? Thinking he would reply with something like “bear skin” or “cow hide”, he cracked a huge smile and said, “See through!” A customer was fitted for a pair of custom trunks and brought in his own fabric, which happened to be see through. Now that’s individuality and can only imagine that this would cause way more attention on the beach then bear skin or cow hide.
I receive calls and email everyday about “long distance” custom surf trunk orders with questions like; “Can I email in my measurements?”, or “can I have my tailor call you with my measurements?” But just like your favorite restaurant or tattoo artist, you have to visit us.
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