Once at the head of Rip Curl Europe, Wilco Prins moved on to something else. The brand he took over in Hossegor, Town & Country, was founded in 1971 in Hawaii. For twenty years, the famous ying and yang had gradually disappeared from surf shops. “When I left Rip Curl, I made a life decision, I wanted to stay here and create my business. I got in touch with them, we discussed, and we signed the license for Europe in February 2020… Just before confinement. »
Wilco Prins admits that he then had a lot of time to think! Before finding premises in the Pédebert area, starting from scratch and receiving your first boards. “We also have space for a seasonal store, in the city center. »
Town & Country is above all surfboards that do not go unnoticed. The European clothing collection incorporates the codes that made the brand successful in the 1980s. Neon, checkerboards, a cult logo and a T&C tribe that was just waiting to be reborn.
Returning to a human scale was also Wilco’s desire: “There are always big brands in the surf industry landscape, which provide a living for retailers by generating very significant figures. And then there are lots of smaller brands. Hossegor remains a unique place in the world, where there are the most players, shapers, brands and stores. I arrived here in 1996 as an intern and today I am taking a new direction. »
“Surfing is good, thank you!” »
Is he confident in the future of surfing in the Landes? “Already, there are a lot more surfers, surfers, schools. Since Covid, there has been a big boom around outdoor activities and surf brands have also benefited from it. There were also production delays, the price of the container exploded and, today, there is quite a bit of stock in the stores, but things are getting better. Surfing is good, thanks! »
Landes: Is Hossegor still the capital of European surfing?
Deprived of a world circuit event since 2021, in competition with Portugal, the town has seen its leading position weaken in a few years. But it remains a place favored by the best surfers on the planet and the surfing industry is doing well there.
The clientele has also evolved, according to him: “It has become a more accessible leisure activity, even if we, with T & C, are positioning ourselves more towards people who knew the brand and who want to treat themselves by purchasing a beautiful board. in tinted resin, but also young people looking for authenticity. The brand has become a little intimate again. »
