FIELDREPORT There is plenty of
competition in this part of the market, and a lot of it is Swedish
“Our design team is Swedish,” he confirms.
“The Scandinavian look is a bit simpler compared to southern Europe, and very popular just now, so if we could find good designers in our own country, it makes no sense to go elsewhere. “I also believe that when it comes to fashion
and style, the Swedes and Brits are quite similar. We don’t like brash, show-off clothing; we prefer things more subtle, with quiet class. This is the less-is-more approach Swedes tend to take, whether it be clothes or furniture, and it has been successful.” Technical fabrics have always been at the
heart of the Cross Sportswear proposition, and these new ranges are no different. Delivering
some 20,000mm waterproofing and 20,000 g/m2/24h breathability, the brand’s own FTX system features in the premium Edge range of jacket, trousers and pullover, where the membrane is laminated to the underside of the outer fabric; and also the bestselling Pro range, where the membrane is not glued. Waterproofing is enhanced with sealed seams and waterproof zips. A non-stretch version of FTX is in the entry- level Cloud suit. “There is plenty of competition in this part of the market, and a lot of it is Swedish,” Valfridsson accepts. “But if you were to ask me why buy Cross instead of the others, I’d say we have the best rain and wind gear for the money. Some of our competitors work with Gore-
Tex, we’ve chosen not to as it’s a stiff material that can have an affect on the swing. To play golf you need to move freely so we use our own four-way stretch material which allows total free movement in the swing. That means we can have quite slim fit
jacket and pants and still play good golf.” Performance fabrics also show up
strongly in the polos, including the quick- drying, odour-thwarting bamboo charcoal found in the Big Logo and Flag shirts. But both the men’s and ladies’ ranges are especially well stocked for windwear. The new Pro Down jacket, is fully padded, while the vest, offers an armless version. The Utility jacket blends a padded front with windproof fabric on the back and sleeves. “These are great garments, but we have
also done especially well with the Wind jacket, pullover and vest,” Vilfradsson adds. “They have a new fabric, one we haven’t actually named yet, that gives great stretch properties while offering 8000/8000 waterproofing and breathability. We don’t say it’s waterproof because we don’t tape the seams, but the garment will manage rain.” Valfridsson has been at the helm of
Cross Sportswear since 2012. “At that time our golf range was
bigger in terms of Skus,” he recalls, “but the balance of it was not quite right. We set out to limit knitwear styles, which is not our main point of difference, and increase wind and rainwear garments. This is where we excel, and where we are now focused.” Valfridsson’s new team did not have
time to make serious inroads to the brand’s 2015 clothing, so the recently- announced 2016 ranges represent their first and he is keen for the brand to grow in the UK. “We are determined not to make
conditions too tough for retailers,” Valfridsson asserts. “We do not quote
any minimum buy-in figure, and we will keep margins competitive. We have a team of four UK sales agents, led by Steve Shaw, who can help retailers with any issues or questions they may have. “Cross Sportswear can be a much bigger player
in the UK market. We have always had the garments to achieve that; but now we have the structure too.”
For more information on the Cross Sportswear Golf Collection 2016, email Steve Shaw at
steve@marquisgolf.co.uk or visit
www.cross-sportswear.com
SGBGOLF 37
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