Stephanie Gilmore began her Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic campaign superbly easily winning her opening round heat today at Dee Why.

Thursday April 19 2012 Caption: Stephanie Gilmore exiting a nice barrell behind Niki Van Dijk at Dee Why Point. Gilmore posted an impressive heat score of 17.75 out of 20 to defeat Niki Van Dijk (AUS) and Sarah Mason (NZ). 1st goes to round three while 2nd and 3rd go to elimination round two. About the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic at Dee Why Point, Sydney - It’s the fourth stop of seven events on the elite Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour which decides the world champion for 2012. The current World Champion is Carissa Moore (Hawaii) Defending event champion is also Carissa Moore (Hawaii) The number one seed is Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) Image Credit: © ASP/Robertson

More info - www.beachleyclassic.com

Guess who we spotted wearing Quiksilver?  Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg!  While attending the Burton Snowboards Coachella Pool Party and BBQ at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs during the 2012 Coachella Music Festival, Michelle Trachtenberg was seen wearing the Quiksilver Tiki Tile Maxi. We love how she classically paired it with a denim jacket and some bold sunglasses.

The TIKI TILE Maxi is available in our retail store and find the TIKI TILE mini dress now on our e store.

The 51st Bells Beach Classic 2012 arrived in our sleepy town of Torquay. In what was suppose to be the beginning of frosty Winter mornings and biting cold winds, instead the sun decided to grace our rugged southern coast with one last time!

We made the treck along the cliffs and bush to walk out into a firing Winki & Bells, feeling the buzz of the Easter weekend crowds to cheer on our Steph Gilmore.

The word was out that our ‘perfect 10 wave’ ambassador Steph was going to be in store Saturday afternoon. Soon enough the crowds gathered and the line was out the door. Steph, with her larger than life smile making everyone stoked to be apart of the Quiksilver Women’s Family.

One more season, San Francisco based artist Serena Mitnik Miller delights us with her beautifully crafted prints. Water based aquarels inspired by the ocean bring a breath of fresh air, this time in the form of a zig zag block applied onto bikinis. We are in love!

Quiksilver woman ambassador Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, has won the TSB Bank NZ Surf Festival in clean three foot (1.5 meters) surf over Carissa Moore (HAW) at Taranaki, New Zealand last night.

Stop No. 3 of 7 on the 2012 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, the TSB Bank NZ Surf Festival offers vital points in the race for the ASP Women’s World Title. This year the event scored the best waves and also witnessed the biggest performances in its three year history, with classic waves on offer for the duration of the competition.

Gilmore, four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current ASP Women’s World No. 1, finished 9th at the TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival both in 2011 and 2010, but today took top honours in an exciting Final. Gilmore and Moore were extremely evenly matched opponents, with both surfers trading excellent scores, going back and forth, finishing the 35 minute duel separated by only 0.70.

“This is by far the best start to a season I’ve had in my career,” Gilmore said. “To have three Finals straight off the bat, I’m kind of tripping out. It’s really cool. That was a really close Final, I’m sure it could have gone either way.”

Next ASP Women’s World Tour stop will take place in Dee Why in Australia from April 18th to April 23rd.

FINAL RESULTS:

1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.76

2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 15.06

We love it when art can make it out of galleries and museums and it comes to live in the form of items we use every day… If you’re looking for that extra special piece to add to your closet, check this summer’s T-shirt collection featuring Serena Mitnik Miller water colour prints.

Shop the Swirl waves tee, the Myraid tank, the Calm seas tank or the Sunset tank.

More about Serena: http://www.serenamitnikmiller.com/

QUIKSILVER PARTNERS WITH HOFFMAN CALIFORNIA FABRICS ON VINTAGE-INSPIRED DRESS COLLECTION AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON EBAY

100% OF PROCEEDS TO BE DONATED TO E.P.I.C. CHARITY

Huntington Beach, CA (April 9, 2012) – Quiksilver and Hoffman California Fabrics have collaborated on a collection of 25 one-of-a-kind vintage-inspired fabric dresses. The limited-edition dresses will be available through a charity auction on eBay, the world’s largest online marketplace and leading destination for fashion. While the design of the dresses is new and seasonal, the material used for the fabrication was sourced from the vast and iconic Hoffman archives.

These unique pieces will be available exclusively on quiksilverauction.com from April 9^th thru April 19^th.. The collaboration is an effort to raise money and create awareness for E.P.I.C. (Everyday People Initiating Change), a non-profit organization committed to bringing safe, clean drinking water to a number of villages in the developing world. 100% of the sale proceeds will be donated to E.P.I.C.

Quiksilver and Hoffman California Fabrics have a long and storied relationship dating back to the 1970s with the production of Quiksilver’s first pair of signature printed boardshorts.

“We were so excited to dig deep into our heritage and re-ignite a collaboration that is one of the most special relationships we have had over the years,’” says Quiksilver VP of Sales and Marketing, Kenna Florie. “Hoffman California Fabrics have the most wonderful and relevant prints. Going into the archives, picking out the fabric for each dress and then breathing some new life into it through design was such a fun project and exciting way to share the history of our brand.”

Quiksilver has been involved with E.P.I.C. for 4 years helping to fund seven water wells in Tanzania, Africa. Quiksilver will continue to support E.P.I.C. through monetary donations and recognizing E.P.I.C. Founders, Tennille Amor and Alexi Panos as part of the Quiksilver Women Ambassador Program.

The Quiksilver/Hoffman auction is being managed on eBay by Auction Cause, a premier online auction management agency specializing in high-profile design, strategy, and cause marketing for corporations and nonprofits worldwide.

For more information, visit AuctionCause.com

There’s no denying this cardigan’s unique sense of cozy. The dune open knit cardigan has the perfect cotton/wool blend to keep you warm in this spring’s chilly mornings. We wear it over the up country floral cami. Throw on some jeans, your favourite boots, grab the Aurora tote bag and hit the road!

Shop the look: Dune open knit cardigan,  Up country floral cami, Lorne Skinny, Aurora tote bag, Mellow Yellow Shoes.

Cap sleeves and pintucking will romance any frock. But once you add beach voile and a button front you’ve created the shirt dress of the season: The Swam Bloom dress. We mix it up with suede platforms (these are from Hakei) and leather bracelets. The Dover cardigan is the perfect little cardigan to complete this spring cute look.

Shop the look: Swam Bloom dress, Dover cardigan