I’m usually not one to tell people how to live their lives, but in this case I’m willing to make an exception. The title says it all. If you’d rather not read the unhinged fan boy ramblings of a part-time blogger, then by all means, skip directly ahead to the beautiful pictures below. While I love the neon look of 80s surfboards in all its forms, there’s no denying that Shawn Stussy is on a different level. His boards still look futuristic a good thirty-plus years after they were shaped. Fluoro sprays might have been the dominant trend of the Echo Beach era, but it’s clear that Stussy was one of the people who defined the aesthetic, as opposed to hopping on the bandwagon. I’m simply in awe of these boards, whether it’s the bold strokes of the now-classic Stussy script logo, the double winged swallow tails, or, of course, the arresting graphics. There’s a reason why Stussy shortboards from the 80s command such high prices on the open market, and it’s not just nostalgia.
As a bonus, here’s a picture of Stussy alongside one of his creations for the Russell Surfboards label. I’ve featured a few sweet Stussy / Russell Surfboards shapes in the past. The one below has them all beat. I’ve also never personally seen the orange box logo on a Russell shape. I’m wondering if it might have been restored, but either way, it is an absolutely stunning board.
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