Sisstrevolution Comes Out to Cardiff to Play and Inspire
By Katie LaLicata | Photos Brie Lakin /Sisstrevolution
Cardiff Reef boasts some of the best peeling rights Southern California area has to offer. That might not be the only reason Sisstrevolution—Vissla’s literal sister brand—chose the spot for its inaugural surf session, but it’s a good start. And it was a good start to learning about the female-centric surf brand. Logs, retro single fins, and a handful of smaller fun boards decorated the parking lot in the early morning hours. The tide pushed in. Waves, shoulder high and glassy. You couldn’t have asked for a better kick-off.
We were there mostly to play in the waves, enjoying these perfect conditions and sharing ideas about how to keep them that way. And the day was all about connecting—one generation of woman surfers sharing what they know with the next generation. And to wave-test some new Sisstrevolution suits, of course.
The brand was born of natural feedback between Vissla and young female surfers, and near constant requests for juniors suits and the like. Sisstrevolution—it’s name is a portmanteauing of “sister” and “evolution” with a callback to Vissla—launched earlier this year in answer. Founded to celebrate creative female influences, the brand’s campaigns feature real women living the life aquatic. And this event, our first opportunity to try the suits, was slated to be the first of many surf sessions that promised more than most ordinary demo days.
Teaming up with the nonprofit Changing Tides Foundation and AllSwell Creative for journaling workshops on the beach showed some of that creative spirit the brand celebrates. The AllSwell team built out a beach-chic creative lab-like setting for the workshops, where we gathered on Mexican blankets and throw pillows next to the crashing surf. Changing Tides Foundation shared practical and easy ways to remove single-use plastic from daily routines and make better decisions as consumers.
The goal here is to connect. Build community and offer positive mirrors within the surf community.
Sisstrevolution team rider Samantha Sibley, helped spread the stoke of women’s surfing to the many young girls who were in attendance. She talked a bit about how cool it is to represent a company that cares. This brand is taking steps in the industry to make change and create more sustainable options. They are currently working on fabrications using hemp and organic cotton. They use limestone neoprene for their wetsuits and are committed to getting better and better as they grow.
Far beyond beyond being just another surf demo, the event aimed to help empower that younger generation of girls within the surfing community. The goal here is to connect. Build community and offer positive mirrors within the surf community. At Cardiff, Laura Rubin, with her journaling expertise and ability to inspire creativity, seemed an intuitive match.
Laura’s gift of guiding young women to feel comfortable with their own voices added depth to the day. AllSwell was born from Laura’s own post-surf journaling sessions, so it’s always been a natural fit for her to lead workshops on the beach. She built these writing sessions for Sisstrevolution on the sand against the backdrop of this classic surf break. The beautiful morning filled with appreciation for the ocean, putting pen to paper and a dedication to protecting the waters surfers hold so dear.
The day hit the trifecta with the involvement of Changing Tides Foundation, a nonprofit founded by a group of water women with a passion for travel and a dedication to inspire humanity to leave people, places and things better than they found them. Leah Dawson, professional surfer, environmentalist, and one of the founding members of CTF popped in for a few hours and, per her usual, spouted humble wisdoms about the ocean and sustainability.
And this is how we encourage sustainability and community: by surfing and celebrating what we are preserving and inspiring the next generation to do the same. What a groovy way to be introduced to a brand. It feels good to do good, and when one can do good, and go surfing, all at the same time… well, seems like the best option in the world.