1980s Quiksilver shorts

If you were looking for an item of clothing that defined surfwear in the early 80s, for my money it would be these Echo Beach shorts , owned from new by Mark in Hayle. Quiksilver introduced the Echo Beach range of shorts in 1980, and the radical polka dots, harlequins, stars and checks soon set them apart from other companies whose products started to look way too conservative in comparison. The style came from the scene at Newport beach in California , 'the hottest hundred yards' which was producing explosive surfing and a look all of its own .Rockabilly meets punk meets polka dots and checks - what a combination ! Thanks to Mark for the photos.

Mark in his shorts at Holywell bay, early 80s

Echo Beach / Partners and Spade from gutobarra on Vimeo.

from Surfing 1979 .Main pic McCoy ripper Danny Kwock, one of the main figureheads of Newport beach surfing at the time.

Jersey's Renny Gould ,early 80s - the Echo Beach look filtered across to us in quite a big way.Photo by Alex W.

Now I'm not saying Damien Hirst was influenced by boardshorts - but he made coloured polka dots iconic again in the late 90s.