Island Style founder: The clothing exec who hates suits

He’s not a suit and tie kind of guy and has given board meetings the middle finger, literally.

Warren Wareing is the founder and chief executive of the iconic South African surf brand Island Style.

He has never fitted the mould of a traditional businessman: “Suits just aren’t my vibe, bru,” he said.

“I’d rather be on the beach, waxing my board, than stuck in a room talking figures. That’s just not me.

“Suits have come knocking a few times, wanting to get in on the action, but they just don’t get it. They come in with their degrees and their balance sheets, thinking they know how to run a surf brand.

“They don’t understand the culture, the lifestyle. This isn’t just a business; it’s a passion.”

Homegrown entrepreneur

Wareing runs the company from his office-cum boardroom-cum display area in the factory shop.

His uniform is shorts, flip-flops and a tee. Staffers around him sew, cut, make and trim everything from surfboard travel bags to board shorts and sexy bikinis.

Almost everything is done in-house, from the pots on the two-plate stove cooking up surfboard wax to the hippie-illustrator who’s been hand drawing Island Style designs and prints since day dot.

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Everyone calls Wareing by his nickname Wazo; which he said he had no idea where it came from. But it stuck, just like his love of the surfing life and, at 68, surfing still come first.

“I try to surf three to four times a week. I’m still competing in the South African Masters division for 60-somethings. This year, I got a silver medal in the over-65 category, but I’m still chasing that gold,” said Wareing.

It’s this passion and non-stopping that had him start Island Style in 1981. It all began after he returned from a stint in Hawaii, where he spent nearly seven months surfing the island’s North Shore.

“I just couldn’t get Hawaii out of my head. I missed it so much that when I came back to South Africa I knew I had to do something that kept me connected to the islands and the surf culture.”

He hadn’t settled on a career at the time, and then, the big idea came to him.

“I was only 22 or 23 and I’d seen what was happening in California and Hawaii. I saw a gap in the market and I thought, if the Aussies and Americans can do it, why can’t we make our own stuff too?”

The must-have collectable

So, he set out to do it, sourcing Velcro and buying his first sewing machine to start making surfboard straps.

“I didn’t know much about running a business at the time, but I was determined to make it work.”

By the mid-80s almost everyone who was cool had a neon Island Style vinyl and Velcro wallet.

“That wallet was one of the first things we made,” he said. “It was all about function, something that worked for surfers and wouldn’t fall apart in the water.”

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That focus on practicality over fashion has been at the heart of everything he’s made ever since.

“We’ve always been about making products that last. If it’s functional, it doesn’t date. Sure, we make things that look good, but it’s got to work first.”

Fast forward a few decades and Island Style’s range now includes everything from boardshorts, T-shirts, swimwear, kid clobber and surfing kit. He plans to launch sunblock and sunglasses soon.

Wareing has kept it local throughout. “We’re proud to say we’re not made in China, my china. We keep it local and we only supply independent shops,” he said.

“For me, it’s about maintaining that freedom and working with people we like – real surfers, real people. Not suits.”

For over 40 years, twice a year, he’s loaded up his trusty VW Kombi with surf gear and hit the road. Wareing heads to the Western Cape and makes his way back to Durban on a sales trip.

“I still do it,” he said proudly. “I start in Durban, drive to Cape Town, and visit every surf shop we supply along the way. I show them the range, write up orders by hand, and have a surf with them if the waves are good.” It’s his ritual.

“It’s not just about business, it’s about keeping those relationships alive. I’ve had dealers for decades now and that’s what matters. These guys know me, they know I’m not just some suit.”

Nothing is ever just plain sailing though. Wareing likens it to riding a wave.

“You’ve got your highs and lows, bru. Sometimes you’re on top, riding the crest, and other times you’re getting pounded, trying to paddle back out.”

At its peak, Island Style employed over 100 staff; now, it’s down to 36.

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