Before David Hasselhof, Pamela Anderson, and company invaded the beach scene, swimming was just a mere sport for fin-gifted and beach-side born people. But when Baywatch hit the shores of America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and even Africa, swimming was put in another light- a fashion ground. Wave after wave, the phenomenal success and popularity of the life-saving, life guard chronicle, beach world drama changed the way people view swimming and beaching. Baywatch introduced groundbreaking swimming clothing styles which was limited to traditional bikini styles pre-Baywatch era, alternative ways of being sexy and edgy under the scourging yet enticing heat of the sun, and it even propelled to greater heights of popularity the sport of surfing. Most of all, it made the concept of swimming and going to the beach one of the best avenues for unleashing and displaying to the rest of the world the sexy and fashionable in all of us. It painted all shores red and spelled every beach as hot and sexy, and the world heeded.
Come 21st century, the legacy of Baywatch lives on. Although it has already bitten the dust and bid the limelight goodbye, the waves that it made continue to hit every shore of this world. It's phenomenal success and influence even spread wider, leading to a domino effect of new generations of fashionable beach lifestyle. From flashy red, skimpy bikinis for women and butt-exposing shorts for men, the whole concept of fashionable swimming is now encapsulated just by one word--Billabong.
Call it a post-Baywatch trend or a double-the-sales marketing spin, Billabong is the new name of sexiness, sportiness, and aquatic lifestyle to beat.
Billabong is a word that came from the land down under. The word's original reference was to a dried up watering hole that flushes out only when a river floods. The aborigines of Australia often searched for billabongs to find food and sometimes water. But now, the term Billabong is a name for a popular brand of men's and women's surf clothing and beach apparel.
Although production of Billabong products dates back years prior to the Baywatch phenomenon, 1973 to be exact, it was only during the beginning of year 2000 that the brand emerged in the global market and made a name for itself in the beach clothing industry. And its dominance has since then expanded from the shores of Australia to the white beaches of Asia, the Pacific, and South America. Its strong wave of following among beach enthusiasts also hit with tremendous waves the shores of the Carribean, North America, and the vast region of Europe.
Since its emergence in the start of the new millennium, Billabong now has about 2,200 product lines in Australia, over 1,300 in North America, and over 1,200 product lines in Europe. The product lines include swim wear, watches, jewelery, wet suits, neoprene gloves and boots, surf caps, bags and backpacks, travel bags, beach bags, shoulder bags, wallets, belts, caps, thongs, towels, CD holders, beach mats, surfboard covers, body board covers, Von Zipper sunglasses, Element skateboards, and many others. The most popular ones are the T-shirts, board shorts, backpacks, and swim wear.
Billabong brought yet another big wave of sizzling hot beach *clothing and apparel* in many shores around the world with its 2006 Summer Collection. The highlight of the collection are the swimsuits, shorts, rash guards, shirts, vests, hats, pants, and even skirts dresses (casual for women).
The shorts are setting unbelievably very high sales. Selling like hot cakes, the board shorts and casual or lifestyle shorts are a big craze for both men and women. With more than 30 stylish and sexy designs, the Billabong board shorts come in many different colors (plain and printed alike) to fit the very varied taste of its market.
The top favorite among beach hunks are the Kauai board shorts, hombre board shorts, rival board shorts, and the Royal Flush board shorts. Women, on the other hand, are raving about Vogen board shorts, boardie capri, Golden Ticket board shorts, Floater board shorts, and boardie shorts.
The petal bikini, starfish bikini, and wildflower bikini are the most-worn bikinis among women of different ages. Rash guards for beginners and *professional surfers* are also one of the hot items in the 2006 summer collection.
With all the good finds in the 2006 summer collection, you won't run short of finding the best beach attire to sport each time you hit the shores. Wear any of Billabong's clothing item or apparel and you'll sure to wear that Baywatch babe or hunk-sizzling hotness.
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