Event Registration
www.uomosport.com

SITE

SEARCH

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA


COURSE SEARCH

GOLF

CALENDAR

October 2008
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
2829301234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930311
2345678

APPAREL

Untitled Page

Classic Collection

Aureus shoots for a fresh, modern look with its men’s and women’s clothing line.

BY CATHERINE RISLINGPublished: May, 2006

You probably won’t see Jesper Parnevik wearing their pants, and Duffy Waldorf’s closet likely isn’t filled with their shirts.

But that’s just fine with Irwindale-based golf apparel manufacturer Aureus.

“We try to be classic and update with the times,” said Geoff Stiles, Aureus’ vice president of sales and marketing. “I think the average golfer is tired of wearing two-color, thin stripes and is looking for something fresh and new.”

Aureus has become a staple in golf shops nationwide, but a lot has changed since the company was formed in 1978 and its owners filed for bankruptcy in the early ’90s. Sports apparel company Winner Mate bought the company and revamped its way of doing things.

“We moved away from pro tour sponsorships and now focus on supporting local pros,” Stiles said. “We decided to stick with the basics and do them well.”

Aureus’ basic line includes a consistent offering of outerwear, shorts, shirts and sweaters. Polos are two-ply, double-mercerized Egyptian cotton that feature subtle patterns, unique colorations and a new line of “vintage” patterns from the 1980s. The majority of the golf line is men’s apparel, with about 10 percent devoted to the women’s brand.

The spring 2006 collection features Aureus’ Gel-Print technology in which a semi-transparent gel ink is applied to its double-mercerized polo. The result is a “basic” shirt with a subtle pattern. Gel Print, available in both tropical and argyle prints, retails for $59.99.

Aureus is also keeping up with its competition with technical fabrics that wear well on and off the course. TechniCool Elite, for example, allows cool play with the comfort of cotton. The 30-percent polyester fabric has the look and feel of double-mercerized cotton on the outside, but the moisture-wicking benefit of polyester next to the skin.

“You can machine wash the shirt multiple times without losing color, and it performs like cotton,” Stiles said.

Also new this season is a reversible women’s vest that features a quilted satin micro fiber on one side and no-pill MicroFleece on the other. The vest, available in black, ivory, pink and light blue, is priced at $65.

The 100-percent MicroFiber jacket with zip-off sleeves is another functional piece in the golf line. The jacket has a slight iridescent sheen and textured look, with hidden side storage pockets that are perfect for tucking in the sleeves when removed. Priced at $69.95, the jacket is available in white, black, tournament blue, lemoncello, pumpkin and rio red.

It seems Aureus’ philosophy has made a difference. Sales in the past few years have grown significantly, including an 8 percent increase in revenues last quarter, said Stiles, who vowed to keep sales steady in the years ahead.

“In the last 20 years the competition has grown tremendously,”  Stiles said. “Before, there were 10 manufacturers; now there must be 100. They come in, make a big splash with their designs, and 18 months later they’re gone.”

The secret to Aureus’ success is staying below the radar.
“Our focus is not on the newest fashion trend,” Stiles said. “Instead, we continually strive to improve the quality and design of our apparel because that is the lifeline of our business. We want the consumer to be proud to wear our apparel.”  

For more information, visit www.aureus-usa.com.

Roar Like a Pro
www.lazerplane.com