Company behind Australian surf brands Roxy and Billabong files for bankruptcy READ MORE: Surf champion Stephanie Gilmore makes shock move By BRETT LACKEY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and DANIEL JONES Published: 22:28, 5 February 2025 | Updated: 23:34, 5 February 2025 e-mail 10 View comments The company that holds the licences for Australian-founded surfwear brands Billabong, Quiksilver and Roxy has filed for bankruptcy. Liberated Brands - which runs the three labels along with Californian skate brand Volcom - will shut all its 120 US and Canadian stores, after clearing stock with up to 60 percent-off sales. In Australia there are 18 Billabong stores and 13 Quiksilver stores - which also stock the sister brand Roxy.
It is unclear how many will be affected by the bankruptcy or whether supplies of the brands at other stores like CityBeach would be limited. Bosses blamed a shift in shopper behaviour as they turned away from brands towards cheaper, fast fashion from the likes of Shein and Temu. Billabong, founded in 1973 on the Gold Coast , gained a loyal following with its durable beachwear, while Quiksilver, launched in 1969 in the Victorian surf hotspot of Torquay, revolutionized the surf scene with Velcro-fastened boardshorts and high-profile athlete sponsorships.
Both brands peaked in the 1990s but later struggled financially, leading to a 2018 merger. California-based Volcom, founded in 1991, became a staple in surf, skate, and snow culture with its rebellious 'Youth Against Est.