Hurley Logo PNG
Despite its business style, the Hurley logo contains a creative element that allegorically signifies the brand’s field of activity. Just a couple of strokes accurately convey its tasks, range, and objectives. The maximalism characteristic of the emblem and the company’s products perfectly reflects the company’s multitasking nature, which deals in both sports and fashion clothing.
Hurley began with Bob Hurley, a California surfer born in 1958. By the late 1970s, he knew the surf industry from the inside, as a rider, boardmaker, and businessman close to professional athletes. In 1979, he founded Hurley Surfboards in Costa Mesa with Bob Rowland and Joe Knoernschild. The company made custom surfboards, adjusted to each surfer’s technique, local waves, and competition needs.
In 1982, Hurley moved from boards into apparel through a licensing agreement with the Australian brand Billabong. His company became Billabong USA Hurley, the official North American distributor. During the 1980s and 1990s, the business adapted Australian surfwear for U.S. buyers. It grew in a market shared with Quiksilver and O’Neill. The brand’s customer base came from surf beaches, skate spots, and youth fashion rather than from conventional sports retail.
When the Billabong license ended in the late 1990s, Bob Hurley chose to create his own label rather than renew the agreement. In 1999, he launched Hurley International. The new brand connected surfing with skateboarding, music, and street clothing. Its stylized “H” logo became part of the brand’s identity. At the same time, athlete contracts helped keep the company tied to real surf culture. One of the later sponsored names was Gabriel Medina, who became a three-time world champion.
In 2002, Nike bought Hurley International for an undisclosed amount, reportedly about $100 million in the industry. Hurley remained president as the brand expanded into Europe, Asia, and Latin America, as well as women’s collections and teen lines. In December 2019, Nike sold Hurley to Bluestar Alliance. After that deal, the company continued mainly as an online-oriented brand, with a smaller physical retail network.
Meaning and History
The brand name was derived from the surname of the founder, Bob Hurley, who led a group of like-minded individuals. Even after it transitioned to Nike, Inc. in 2002 and later to Bluestar Alliance LLC in 2019, this surname remained: it became a key element of the identity, recognized among extreme sports enthusiasts. The iconic sign definitely establishes two brackets placed on the convex sides facing each other. It represents “H” – the first letter of “Hurley.”
What is Hurley?
Hurley is an American company specializing in the production and sale of clothing and accessories for surfing and swimming. Its range includes wetsuits, swimsuits, board shorts, trunks, shirts, T-shirts, overalls, hoodies, tops, sportswear, and much more. The early version of the brand emerged in 1979, featuring only surfboards. It officially transitioned to its modern format in 1999, when the previous firm (Billabong USA Hurley) lost its license. Its founder, Bob Hurley, led a group of friends and like-minded individuals. Since 2019, the company has been owned by Bluestar Alliance LLC.
1979 – today
The Hurley logo consists of two parts: textual and graphical. The text comes first. It’s in bold letters without serifs. The smooth, even edges convey a sense of businesslike strictness, typical of clothing brands. The lowercase font is used throughout, except for “H”: it’s the only uppercase letter since it starts the word. In the glyphs, angles, and roundings are perfectly balanced, leaving a pleasant impression of visual harmony.
Following the text is the brand’s unique trademark symbol, often used as a standalone element. It’s frequently seen on prints and on the labeling of original products. It comprises two short, inward-bent stripes, resembling surfboards placed side by side. They also look like alpine hooks and an open parachute, hinting at extreme sports. But in reality, it’s a stylized letter “H.”
Font and Colors
The typeface used in the Hurley logo resembles a simplified version of Sequel Sans Body Bold: the “u” lacks a side stroke, and the lower part of the “y”‘s tail is clipped. The emblem’s palette is modest but classic. It includes two basic colors: black, which is used for all elements, and white, serving as the background.
