How it all started

Four winters ago, a new friend invited me to come out for a surf on a borrowed longboard that hung outside the boot of her car. That morning I picked up a wetsuit from the op shop for five dollars and tentatively followed her into the waves. As soon as I stood up, my feet gripping onto the sticky wax of the board, my childhood love of surfing came rushing back.

This was the beginning of a new era. A new way of living that would transform my life! Fast forward to now, and I'm dancing with the waves almost every single day. It's become a beautiful addiction that has changed the way I feel about everything. 

What followed, was the sudden desire to host Lady Waves the weekend, a women’s surf retreat hosted in my hometown of Piha Beach. After that came Lady Waves the Book, featuring more than 50 stories, recipes and poems written by New Zealand lady surfers (limited copies available here!)

The more I surfed, the more I discovered a noticeable absence of stylish wetsuits and surf goods for women that didn't cost the earth, both figuratively and literally. Ladies to the front, it's not just for the men in the water. 

Surfers who wear Lady Waves are daring and unique thinkers. They're not afraid to create an extraordinary life on their terms while celebrating life's simple pleasures along the way. Whether you've never surfed before or are a seasoned surf expert, I hope the beautiful goods we offer spark the deep and pure joy that the art of surfing can bring. Because when you find something in your life that brings immeasurable happiness, why not share this with as many people as possible?

See you out there in the waves!  - Eleanor Cripps