Is the Z pronounced, or does it work like a possessive S, like the clothes belong to Jimmy? Well, let the debate be done. JimmyZ is a name variation of Jimmys, but the latter name was unpatentable. So the Z took the place of the s, and the rest is surf wear history. That history starts with Jim Ganzer, a surfer who started the JimmyZ line from his garage one sunny California day in 1984. In an age when surf wear was crashing onto the fashion scene, Jim needed more than a bitchin design to get his board shorts noticedwhat he needed was a radical new concept. His breakthrough design incorporated an adjustable waistband via Velcro tabs that allowed for a more convenient and comfortable fit. Fickle surfers went crazy for the style, and JimmyZ joined the ranks of heavy hitters Gotcha, Op and Maui & Sons as the nations hottest surf fashion. Jims own beloved 1940s Woodie wagon became the icon of the JimmyZ ad campaigns. A wood-paneled car/truck, the Woodie was preferred by surfers as the primary mode of surfboard transportation. Surfboard or not, the image of a 1940s Woodie wagon became the mascot for the surf world. JimmyZ still cruises the beaches, but the surf wear trend went out of the mainstreams eye as the 80s came to a close. A new owner-company, Trends, is launching a surf revival, and hopes the JimmyZ will reclaim its title.