MillersLocal
  • Home
  • Latest Shots
  • Blog
  • Comp news
  • Surf Report
  • SurfGuide
  • PHOTOS
  • Vintage
  • Enviro
  • Shop

Blog

Flashback - Frontline wetsuits

5/25/2015

 
Picture
A serious spring clean of the garage unearthed some long forgotten wetties, including my first surfing wetsuit, a Frontline 4/3, bought waaay back in the day at the surf shop opposite Ster Kinekor in the Bridge. The shop has long gone, but the wettie was still in good nick over 20 years later. Which got me thinking; they made stuff to last back in the day. After posting a shot of the old wettie on social media it seemed like plenty of peeps had fond memories of their Frontline suits – with some still being in use today. So decided to track down the man behind the epic wetties of yesteryear. Say howzit to Gary Cosh…

Gary, when did you start Frontline, and what made you decide to start making wetties?

It all started back in 1987. I moved to SA in ‘85 and still had a surf shop in the UK and thought the wetsuits in SA weren’t as good as those in the UK. So I started Frontline, together with Lisle Coney of Country Rhythm Surfboards, in Margate.

Picture
How did the name Frontline come about?

Originally we were going to manufacture a brand under license but decided to start our own brand. A few friends from Country Rhythm were having a coffee break and someone mentioned it should be a name loosely related to surfing and said how about Backline and at that moment, on the radio, "Frontline states" were mentioned and we all looked at each other and said that’s it!

Did you have any background in wettie manufacture or was it a case of live & learn?

I knew what I wanted from a wetsuit. Having surfed in the Atlantic and North Sea I knew what was needed, especially for Cape Town, so I did some research and took it from there.  When we started I didn’t know the difference between a washing machine and a sewing machine but we were keen and over a reasonable short period of time we started improving what we had started with.

The surfing market started taking notice both here and overseas (Europe and USA), so a reasonable export market opened up for us.  Lisle wanted to concentrate more on Country Rhythm early on, so we parted ways but still had a good relationship and many of the surfers we sponsored used both of our products.  
Picture
Picture
In the mid 90’s the exports started to grow and Ray Wulff, my factory landlord and buddy, joined me and we did well and had great fun.  The business got us to the beaches of Europe and the States each year. Lots of travelling and hard work, but well worth it and managed to surf some great breaks. 

We had an offer on the business in 2000 which we initially declined, but when Shazzzzzzzzzz (one of our key staff members) decided to leave we reconsidered and decided to call it a day - and sold the business. 

Miss it often, and have very fond memories,  but I think with the onslaught of cheap manufacturing in the East we timed our exit perfectly, more by accident than good judgement!  We made lots of buddies around the world and have only good memories and no regrets.

Still surfing?

Nope.  But still got me boards and a few suits and who knows, when my son comes back over from the UK for a visit I am sure he will drag me back in the water.
Picture
Thanks to Zigzag for kindly supplying the print ads. Gary's hard drive died so he lost all his shots from back then, although did manage to snap a shot of an old ad in the Zag (the "Dream on" one )
Picture

Comments are closed.
    Picture
    LATEST POSTS
    More posts HERE

    Author

    Millerslocal

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

Picture
SURF GUIDE
Shit you should know
​Surf safe

Da rules
Gear Guide
​
SURF STUFF
The Boardroom
Greg Smith boards
​Surf Centre
DEETS
Contact us
​Terms & conditions
  • Home
  • Latest Shots
  • Blog
  • Comp news
  • Surf Report
  • SurfGuide
  • PHOTOS
  • Vintage
  • Enviro
  • Shop