Much of the sportswear industry requires a long lead time. Designing new outfits, sourcing production and handling distribution to thousands of retail outlets takes months, not weeks.
That is why the golf apparel companies I interview at the January PGA Shows usually feature their lines for the coming fall. Those interview pieces appear in the fall columns to match the items’ presence on Cape Region pro shop or clothing store shelves.
It is all part of the service this newspaper provides to its loyal readers.
Here are the last two bits from those January chats.
Puma
I usually equate Puma golf apparel with PGA Tour golfer Rickie Fowler in a completely orange outfit.
His colorful appearance played a large role in making him so popular.
Bright outfits have been a Puma staple, but the popular company is moving toward a different fashion identity it hopes will be equally successful.
I met Puma representative Brian Sherrin to discuss the new lines.
“We’ve always been in this graphic world, having those fun, vibrant, bold graphics that show your personality, show your expression, for the guy that wants to be a little bit louder,” he said. “We’ll always have that product, but when we looked at the market, we said, what matters? What is that visual interest that makes you feel different than everyone else on the course?”
Sherrin continued, “That’s where we’ve ended up in this texture world. We really see texture being this evolution of visual interest on apparel. Where five years ago you had a nice vibrant graphic, now we’re kind of maturing, we’re evolving into this texture world.”
The new fabric designs are not quite a waffle pattern, but there is a distinct resemblance.
“We launched this in 2024 with organic texture. We saw some great success with this with women’s apparel, and just a ton of adoption globally. It’s loved, whether it’s on course, off course, it can be worn to dinner. It’s that all-around great piece that everyone wants to put on in the morning,” Sherrin said. “I think this is really our biggest initiative into 2025, especially in the fall, is the evolution of the bolder franchise for us.”
The Puma logo placement is also far more understated than in past years. For some outwear pieces, there is a tiny metal logo stitched behind the neck and for others there is a small Puma patch sewn into the bottom hem.
In addition to the new texture focus, Puma is changing the look of its outerwear options.
“For the fall, golf is where layering is important. How do you mix and match all those pieces and stay warm when it matters? My favorite piece is a two-tone half-hybrid insulated jacket. It’s likely be around $120, and for that there’s so much value here. You get that nice coverage up top, so you stay warm when it matters,” Sherrin said.
“Another way to think of Puma’s change in how its products look is to think generationally. I don’t think of the company’s original designs as boomer-oriented – more Gen X and Z. As those generations age up, it makes sense to offer something a bit toned down,” he said.
Those folks are probably fine with that.
Ashworth returns
Boomer golfers and some early-onset Gen-Xers may fondly recall the sight of Fred Couples wearing some fine Ashworth apparel back when he played the PGA Tour.
The always-relaxed Couples kept that vibe in place with the muted tones and classic styling of the brand, first established in 1987. His 1992 Masters triumph boosted the company’s fortunes to new levels.
Not much in fashion lasts forever, however. Changes in ownership, taste, and investment choices led to the slow dissolution of the Ashworth brand.
Ashworth recently returned to prominence, however, with Couples on board to help celebrate the company’s return.
I spoke with Katie Demo of the New Times Group, the new owners of the brand. While at the booth I saw John Ashworth, the original company founder, as he chatted with club pros and sales reps. Demo said New Times bought the licensing in 2022 and convinced Ashworth to return to the company as its new creative director.
Demo said, “We’re going for a bit of nostalgic fun, while also looking at future trends to reach beyond the beautiful polos many people remember.”
Many styles I saw, such as the Long Sleeve Innovation Interlock polo, would be familiar to my boomer readership. The only nod toward modernity I could detect other than up-to-date fabric choices was that the short-sleeve polos weren’t as voluminous as I remembered.
The fabric choices include designs called Soft-Tech, Natural Soft-Tech, Pebble Tech and Dry Release. Demo said they are all designed to feel extremely soft while keeping to the performance characteristics of technical fabric.
Other pieces are aimed at appealing to a younger demographic that might not feel any tugs of nostalgia. These include hoodies and other outerwear options, such as the company’s quarter-zip pullovers.
Demo said the company made significant inroads returning to green grass shops, while also enjoying success with direct-to-consumer sales at its website.
