Skin Industries

Skin Industries an Al Borda Company; continues to take “Sports Fashion” to new heights – more than your average tee shirt company – Skin Industries “It’s a life style”, that supports both children and adults in their pursuit of enjoyment in all sports and all levels from amateur to professional.

Skin Industries was founded in 1998 by current CEO and sole owner, Al Borda. Back in the beginning when it all started the companies main focus was based around Freestyle Motocross (FMX). With in 2 months not only was Skin Industries the number one brand in FMX it also had a tremendous overflow into Supercross (SX) and Motocross (MX). With so many of the top pro’s wearing the brand of tee’s, Al decided that he need to focus on making Skin Industries, which at the time was only a 4 design tee shirt company for his friends and himself, to be a legitimate clothing company for the entire world to enjoy and express. The next step was to produce a line of graphics that could be affixed to motorcycles and quads. The decals included a replacement seat cover and all the pieces to cover up the stock plastics to make your boring bike into a custom SKIN bike.

Al had a vision it was, “Sports Fashion”. Why not make comfortable clothes with an edgy design that speak for the individual wearing them, no matter if you are competing, practicing or just messing around in the backyard. Skin soon was not just seen on the backs of extreme sports athletes but on the backs of all kinds of pro athletes, rappers, musicians, actors, business people, soccer moms, kid’s, students, party animals and hot ladies around the world!

The SKIN brand was established by selective marketing association with key influential individuals and ingenious product placement that cemented the brand position as one of the leading alternative “Sports Fashion” brands in America today.

“It’s a life style”, is what Al Borda has been saying for almost 12 years. He backs his slogan with his lavish lifestyle. Not only did Al Borda create the category of “Sports Fashion” his company contributes and changes the standards that other soulless, faceless commercial brands on the market today try to follow. Since then the brand has become widely recognized as the only credible “Sports Fashion” clothing brand and as much as a statement of lifestyle, it’s THE clothing of choice.

Skin Couture

Once again, Al Borda continues to take “Sports Fashion” to new heights – more than your average tee shirt company – his brand “SKIN” supports and breaths every word of “It’s a life style”. Growing up poor has made Al Borda realize that making money is a way better way of life, and what better way to reward yourself with the finest things. If it’s your HOMES, CARS or CLOTHES as long as you know you’re a leader, why then follow in everybody else’s footsteps?

“Skin Couture”; its about diverse cultures, beliefs and lifestyles. Why not make comfortable clothes with a unique design that incorporates bright colors and embellishments that speaks for the individual wearing them, no matter if you are competing in a sport, pushing a mouse around in your luxurious office or jet setting on your G-650. Skin can always be seen on the backs of Athletes, CEO’s, Musicians, Actors, Designers and Sexy people around the world!

The SKIN brand was established 11 years ago, and for the last 3 years the development of Skin Couture has been evolving and now we are proud to introduce the fruits of our labor. Creative Director and CEO Al Borda born in the “South” raise on the East Coast and finely tuned in Southern California can offer a feel and comfort that others couldn’t dream or hire others to do.

The basics of our designs are 6 simple categories adopted from our personal lifestyles, the categories are; Spiritual, Pop Culture, Far East, Power, the Streets and Branded.

“It’s a life style”, is what Skin has been saying and drilling into peoples heads for almost 12 years. Not only did Al Borda create the category of “Sports Fashion” his company contributes and changes the standards that other soulless, faceless commercial brands on the market today try to follow. Since then the brand has become widely recognized as the only credible “Sports Fashion” clothing brand and as much as a statement of lifestyle, it’s THE clothing of choice. Now you can enjoy a Fashion Design garment that can be worn to Work, Church or the Club.

From SKID ROW to PARK PLACE, Skin Couture has it place; we got high people in low places and the highest people in the highest of places!

Al Borda Biography

Alfonso Frederick Borda III (born January 18, 1972) is “self made” CEO and Creative Director of Skin Industries and has strong influences from his Italian American descent and family.

Early Career

Borda’s first step into the business world occurred at the age of fifteen, when he started an auto detailing business called Soap and Suds. While still in middle school Borda worked a variety of part time jobs, including being a bus boy and gas station attendant. At the young age of sixteen, Borda went to work for an exotic car dealership and became passionate about his profession in automobile sales. Borda decided to drop out of high school with very little savings, knowing that there were some serious uphill battles ahead and that the odds were against him. In 1989, times were good for the wealthy, Reaganomics were in full effect, the Cold War was over, and money was easy to make. Anyone and everyone who had money craved exotic automobiles. Borda saw an opportunity to make big money and jumped, head first, into the game of buying and selling of exotic automobiles (e.g., Ferrari and Lamborghini) for Vintage Motor Car Company; now Symbolic Motor Car Company.

Education

Or lack of… Borda attended Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar California with some other now high profile people; John Schultes (Pro Skater), Tony Hawk (Pro Skater), John Lynch (Pro NFL Player), River Phoenix (Actor) but there were others who attended before and after his stay like Shaun White (Pro Snowboarder & Skater). As you will find out, his lack of education and being a 9th grade drop out hasn’t slowed him down, after getting his degree from the school of “Hard Knocks” Borda has put his nose to the grind stone and has had several successful business in his life time, but the most notable is his current World Famous clothing brand Skin Industries.

Current Career

After hustling in business for the next decade, Borda stumbled onto something new and exciting. As a big fan of motocross racing, for most of his life, he combined his passions for both business and motocross by designing custom graphics that he put on a t-shirts. The t-shirts became an “instant underground must have”. Borda’s neighbor was in the motorcycle graphic business and suggested that he let him make a few graphic sets for his personal dirt bike. The first set they printed came with Borda’s last name on it and everybody wanted a set for their own dirt bikes. He didn’t want his name plastered all over town, so he decided to keep the logo pictures on the graphic kits, but substitute his name with a new company name. This is when Skin Industries was born. Today, Skin Industries makes about 250 different logos for t-shirts. The success of the company allowed it to create a full line of headwear, jeans, underwear, shoes and accessories designed for Men, Women and Children. Skin clothes can be found in a variety of retail stores, from small mom and pop shops, to medium retailers (i.e., Tilley’s, No Fear) and large retailers (i.e., PACSUN, Zumiez) to even mega department stores (i.e., Macy’s and Dillard’s). Borda grew from street hustler to a boardroom hustler. He spent long hours running every facet of the business, from marketing, to overseeing each and every design used in his company. In 2009 Borda’s latest creation Skin Couture takes “Sports Fashion” to new heights, designed as a high end line that can be worn to Work, Church or the Club.

Associates

Borda can be seen with hanging with top CEO’s and bus boys from around the world. From Ted Waitt (Gateway Computers) to Dana White (Ultimate Fighting Championship) to funny guys like Joe Rogan, John Heffron and Brad Williams to training in MMA with Eddie Bravo, Krzysztof Soszynski and Dan Henderson or golfing with pro NFL players like Jeromey Clary, Steve Gregory and Eric Weddle to hanging in the clubs with DJ Skee or CB Shaw to getting his tattoos done by Mister Cartoon, Borda is well liked by many, and this doesn’t even included athletes that his company Skin Industries sponsors.

Al Borda In the Press

MMA Authority	Live OC	Fighters Only	ULM
IE Weekly	MMA Worldwide	Shop-Eat-Surf.com	Street Approved Magazine
Revolt Vol. 22	Imperfekshun	Al's Dub Story	MMA Sports Issue 12
Xpoz Jun 08	Heavy Hitters Issue 3	Live OC Sept 07	Strip Las Vegas Jun 08
DXL Issue 14	Skinnie Mag Aug 07	951 Lifestyle Nov/Dec 07	Skinnie Mag Oct 04