The Critical Slide Society
The Critical Slide Society, or TCSS, is an Australian surf and lifestyle brand founded in 2009 by Sam Coombes and Jim Mitchell. It makes mainly menswear inspired by surf, art, music, photography and film, sold through surf shops, fashion retailers and its own stores.
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Sam Coombes, Jim Mitchell |
| Origin | Australia |
| Wholesale reach | About 400 doors globally (2023) |
| Website | thecriticalslidesociety.com |
What is The Critical Slide Society?
The Critical Slide Society, widely known as TCSS, is an Australian surf brand that grew out of a blog and set out to bridge surfing with art, music, photography and film. All creative work is produced in Australia by a small core team.
History
TCSS was started in 2009 by Sam Coombes and Jim Mitchell. Coombes is founder, creative director and co-owner, while Matt Christie became general manager and director in 2020.
Products and positioning
The collection is primarily menswear, designed in segments so that pieces work for both fashion focused retailers and core surf shops. The brand has been cautiously expanding into womenswear, which it treats as a separate business.
Distribution
- Around 400 wholesale doors globally, including some 30 US partners such as Tilly's and Backcountry
- Company owned stores in Australia, including Bondi Beach, Thailand and China
- In Japan, retailer Port of Call dedicates a large share of its assortment to the brand
In 2023 the brand was building a North American sales team and a Southern California showroom.
Why it matters
TCSS represents a newer generation of Australian surf labels growing through culture driven branding and selective international wholesale rather than the scale model of the established surf majors.
Frequently asked questions
What does TCSS stand for?
TCSS stands for The Critical Slide Society, an Australian surf and lifestyle brand.
Who founded The Critical Slide Society?
The brand was founded in 2009 by Sam Coombes and Jim Mitchell.