Equal parts art gallery and immersive retail experience, Outerknown opens at The Forum

Kelly Slater is not talking surf. He’s discussing retail. His brick-and-mortar locations of the sustainable clothing brand Outerknown just happen to be located in spots where Slater likes to surf and golf. There’s Marin, Malibu, The Surf Ranch in Lemoore and add Carlsbad to the list.   

“These are places I love to visit and feel personally connected to. These locations also represent the work that many of my friends are doing to clean up the ocean and planet,” says the Outerknown co-founder. “These retail spaces are a true celebration of community.” 

True story. With design agency Starch Creative, Slater taps top local artists who share his earth-first ethos. On display at the San Diego flagship: Sculpture by Laguna Beach artist and modern beachcomber Jim Olarte; and there’s an entire gallery wall dedicated to Solana Beach photographer Todd Glaser, who has a forthcoming coffee table book with the 11-time world champion, “Kelly Slater: A life of Waves.”

“Good planets are hard to find, and at Outerknown, we are working tirelessly to protect the one we’ve got. That takes getting everyone onboard,” says Slater, who most recently teed up at Brother Benno’s Charity Golf Tournament at Goat Hill in Oceanside last month. 

The merch: Cult-followed Blanket Shirts, regenerative cotton Tees, and recycled Apex Trunks as seen on Slater, brand ambassador and spokesmodel. 

All of the retail spaces have been thoughtfully and responsibly customized, brought to life with STELAPOP hangers and fixtures made from S.E.A. denim scraps, Pasqual Arnella sustainable paperpaste mannequins, YORKS reclaimed flooring made from submerged hemlock logs from Nova Scotia and reclaimed maritime rope art installations by environmental scientist and artist Ethan Estess.

In addition, there’s a customization station where customers can add embroidery to personalize their products. 

“I can’t wait for our friends and customers to experience the level of detail and environmental consideration that went into each of these new spaces,” says John Moore, co-founder and chief creative at Outerknown.

Outerknown was founded in 2015 by Moore and Slater, who stepped away from a lucrative sponsorship to create an apparel brand with a total commitment to sustainability. The company’s mission is to not only craft beautiful, lasting wardrobe staples, but to protect natural resources, empower the people making their clothes, and inspire change within the industry and beyond by being completely transparent about the process of making apparel.