Catching the young surf set

Versatile Moseley catches a wave right into surfing apparel for children

Shawn Livingston Moseley already had a successful career as a musician, engineer and music producer when inspiration took him on a parallel journey into the world of children's fashion.

As a surfer who grew up in Haleiwa, he noticed, following the birth of his son, that no surf-related clothing for children was on the market, and every time he saw a "Baby on Board" sign on car windows, he thought Babies on Boards would make a cool name for a company that not only sold surf apparel, but also could teach children to surf.

Surf Child is the enterprise that evolved out of those initial ideas, combining children's clothing with community.

Offering infant and kids' wear that add twists to familiar surf phrases, like "These Little Piggies Hang 10" and "Play for Surf," instead of "Pray for Surf," Moseley said, "I did a couple of trade shows, and people really loved it but I learned that the surf shops didn't know what to do with it because that's not their market."

That seemed shortsighted to Moseley, who said, "I started surfing when I was 4. There were not a lot of kids surfing at the time, but that's not the case today."

So Moseley decided to open a shop of his own in the Haleiwa Town Center (the site of Pizza Bob).

"The clothes are all hand-produced. I'll make 60 to 100 pieces of one design, that's it, so there's a collectible side to it, too."

The shop also carries designs by other local designers, including Kealopiko and Honey Girl, rather than such mainstream brands as Roxy and Quiksilver, which can easily be found elsewhere.

In addition to apparel that includes a few shirts for women, Surf Child carries soaps made from indigenous ingredients, music from Moseley's 'Aumakua Records label, "Keiki O Ke Kai" children's surf-instruction video, and child-size surfboards.

Recognizing that "a lot of kids are learning on boards too big for them," Moseley is able to offer three styles that retail for about $425: a beginner's rounded-nose Little Grom, which prevents the tip from dipping, or pearl diving, beneath the ocean's surface; a traditional fishtail board that combines stability and maneuverability; and the Lil' Ripper for advanced surfers up to 4 feet tall.

Set to start Wednesday in the store's activity corner is a weekly 10 a.m. story hour geared toward 2- to 5-year-olds. He's also planning an after-school story hour for older kids to preteens, to serve up surf tales and raise their awareness of ocean hazards.

"Eventually, I want to start surf clubs for parents to bring their children, and host the kind of events that create community."

Surf Child is at 66-145 Kamehameha Highway, at Haleiwa Town Center, across the street from Kua Aina. Call 637-GROM (4766).