Polar Skate Co. — The Euro Brand that Started It All
It’s difficult to put into words just how seminal the creation of Polar Skate Co. was for the entire skateboarding industry. Founded in 2010 by former Cliché pro Pontus Alv, Polar was radically different from other board companies that dominated the market back then. For one, it was a European skateboard company that was actually recognized worldwide: a privilege that used to be exclusive to US brands. Second, Alv’s creative direction was unconventional, if not outright avant-garde, at least at the time. For example, one of the first Polar skateboard decks featured his late father’s artwork, and others included grainy photographs and weird little drawings — things that might sometimes have looked like they were made by someone who’s spent his daddy’s trust fund at a prestige art school — except for the fact that they never came across as pretentious but as earnest attempts to introduce some sophistication into the skateboarding space. Art and skateboarding had always been linked before, of course — think of Ed Templeton, who incidentally also designed one of Polar’s first board graphics, or of Mark Gonzales’ artsy shenanigans — but never had there been an entire board company dedicated to art. And last but not least, Pontus Alv knew that you’d need a killer team to produce videos that get the kids hooked on your brand: while early films such as In Search of the Miraculous (2010) and No Complies & Wallrides (2012) remain classics — even influencing the way people skated in the late 2010 — newer additions to the company’s filmography continue to set the bar for engaging skateboarding videos.
Polar Skateboards: From Art to Trendsetting
Today, of course, microbrands are popping out like pimples on a scooter kid. However, most brands certainly aren’t as long lasting. Pontus Alv’s secret to success not only included an unorthodox approach to skateboarding artwork, but also a keen sense for setting trends. Case in point: the Polar Big Boy pants. Future generations might call them the Osiris D3 of skateboarding pants, but right now, they’re among the fastest selling pieces of skateboard clothing on the planet. And because the baggies trend might recede sometime in the (near) future, the brand offers the Polar 93 Pant as well as the Polar 89 Pant that already anticipate the inevitable slimming down of skate fashion.
Buy Polar Big Boy Pants Online at Bonkers Shop
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, look no further than our online shop where we carry all things Polar: decks, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and — of course — Polar Big Boys as well as 93 Pants and 89 Pants. Or you can always pop by and try them on at our store in Frankfurt.
