Known for redefining surf apparel since the 1970s, Ocean Pacific clothing company co-founder Jim Jenks died March 19 in his San Diego home. He was 84.
The company became known as O.P. after its signature “super-short corduroy shorts”—worn by many Southern California surfers and skaters in the early 70s—became a trend that quickly spread throughout the rest of the world.
The Irvine-based company began as a surfboard brand by founder Don Hansen in the 60s. Jenks was working with Hansen when they together rebranded the company for apparel in 1972.
The brand went on to be one of the first to make west coast beach living into a sellable brand, with surfers the world over wearing its attire in and out of the water.
O.P. Co-founder Jim Jenks (R) speaking with International Surfing Museum host Peter Townsend (L). (Courtesy of the City of Huntington Beach)Jenks retired eight years after co-founding the apparel company, cruising the world in his 90-foot yacht, according to multiple media outlets. However, when O.P. president Larry Ornitz died in 1988, he returned to run the company.
According to recent reports, Jenk’s secret weapon for amassing such financial and cultural success was getting the O.P. brand into big-name retailers like Macy’s and JC Penny, versus remaining in small local surf shops.
O.P. is also known for creating one of the world’s first surf competitions in 1982, known as “O.P Pro,” held in Huntington Beach, where the brand was also one of the first to financially sponsor surfers, according to the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach.
“O.P. invented the big marketing and broad distribution of surfing and apparel,” Ian Cairns, an early-era championship surfer, told The Orange County Register last week. “O.P. just took that surf marketing thing and made it big. Ocean Pacific was all about California, surf, and the beach lifestyle. It’s pretty incredible.”