Santa Cruz Skateboards has roots stretching back to the early days of modern skateboarding, growing out of the surf culture of Santa Cruz, California. Rather than treating skateboarding as simply an extension of surfing, the brand helped give the emerging scene its own attitude, graphics and identity.

A huge part of that identity came from artist Jim Phillips. His work helped define the unmistakable Santa Cruz look, from the early logos and wild deck graphics through to some of the most recognisable images ever to appear on a skateboard.

That combination of strong boards, uncompromising graphics and genuine California counter-culture is what makes Santa Cruz more than just another skate brand. It's a piece of skateboarding history that is still very much alive.