Sooruz S/S 2024 WETSUITS Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Wetsuits S/S 2024 Retail Buyer‘s Guide
Brand: Sooruz
Interviewee: Marin MAURIAC Product engineer

After the delivery delays and poor sell-in of last summer, was 2022 a bad year for spring-summer wetsuits? And how is 2023 doing so far?

Summer 2022 was not a great year, but it was not a terrible year for spring-summer wetsuits. However, it did not meet the market’s expectations. Furthermore, the delayed delivery of many brands left the shop with excess stock at the end of 2022. It seems that the market for Summer 2023 is heading in the same direction as Summer 2022, perhaps even worse. Fortunately for Soöruz, the sales rate in the shop is good, which allows us to manage the situation and focus on the development of future collections.

What are the biggest trends in buying habits nowadays? Buy less often but high end, go for cheap options, wait for sales period…

We encourage our customers to engage in preordering whenever feasible. Preorders assist us in procuring the required quantities and maintaining market equilibrium. Due to market overstock, our customers often opt to reorder high-end products from us, as opposed to choosing cheaper alternatives.

NEW DIVINE CZ

The women category has energized summer wetsuit designs with the outbreak of multiple silhouettes (long jane, short john, wetsuit pants, etc.). Is this just a Insta fad or groundswell trend?

Women’s wetsuits are progressively occupying a larger share within the industry. Undoubtedly, social media plays a significant role in this growth, yet this trend is not expected to diminish over time. At Soöruz, our diverse range of silhouettes is tailored for distinct types of riders and specific sports. In the SS24 collection, we introduced the new DIVINE chest zip model. This addition was crafted in collaboration with our top riders, aiming to offer a wetsuit that is lightweight, flexible, and affordable, for experienced riders.

Which style are the customer favorites nowadays: fullsuit, short sleeve, springsuit, fancy styles?

Colorful wetsuits are taking more and more place in market even more than the standard black wetsuits on some models. Then the customers adapt in function of its needs.

NEW FIGHTER CZ

Which are your key innovations in materials& constructions for SS24?

For SS24, our focus lies on three key aspects: Performance, Sustainability, and the Fit of our wetsuits.

This effort has result in a groundbreaking foam that excels in both performance and sustainability, known as ÖRGANIC OYSTERPRENE. Made outofnatural rubber and oyster shells, this innovative material offers equivalent performance to our Oysterprene while boasting a remarkable 63% biobased USDA certification.

The ÖrganicOysterprene technology will be available on the GURU range for SS24.

At Soöruz, innovation is infused into all of our products, which is why both the FIGHTER and DIVINE ranges will now benefit from our cutting-edge Oysterprene Y8 and Y6 technology, combined with our recycled thermoloop. This unique combination ensures that these ranges offer remarkable performance, lightweight design, atcompetitiveprices.

With the continuous evolution of wetsuit materials, meticulous attention to fitting has become paramount to ensure the optimal user experience. This commitment is especially evident in our wind wetsuit offerings, namely the GURU WIND and FIGHTER BZ models. These wetsuits have undergone a thorough redesign, featuring distinctive pre-shaped arms meticulously crafted to prevent tetany and enhance comfort during rides. Our dedication to refining fit ensures that every wetsuit delivers an unparalleled experience for the wearer.

NEW GURU WIND FZ

Quick colors/graphics focus: will wetsuits mimick the surf apparel for SS24 with a comeback of bold colors?

At Soöruz we always kept that part of boldness on our design and colors. For SS24 we made a capsule called SUNBURN integrating burnt design and flashy colors. The goal of this capsule is to catch the eyes of the customers and deliver a message regarding the global warming challenge we are facing.

Apart from the material sourcing and production addressed in question #5, do you implement complementary durability campaigns? (partnerships, give-back actions, recycling…)

In 2019 we launched our SECOND LIFE program, we shredded more than 25 000 since then and we keep on receiving more and more every day. The goal in the end is to upcycle as many wetsuits as we put on the market every year.

Apart from the second life of the wetsuit the goal for our customers is to keep their wetsuits as long as possible that why we guarantee all our stitches 3 years. In addition we have a seamstress in our building that is specialized in neoprene and is able to repair any wetsuit to improve its longevity.

This comprehensive after-sales service has not only provided insights into the weak points of our wetsuits but has also driven continual improvement year by year, resulting in even more resilient and long-lasting wetsuits.