Quiksilver's siteLA

If you're a pro surfer, chances are you've got a few big brands fighting for that coveted space on the back of your wetsuit. But for someone working in the creative industries, sponsorship isn't quite so easy to come by. Quiksilver is seeking to change that with its newest venture, siteLA, which provides support and exposure for six up-and-coming female visionaries. And although the project was designed to launch Quiksilver's first womenswear collection, we've yet to see any gratuitous flashing of logos.

Since February, the six women have held residence in an 1800-foot studio and exhibition space in LA's Silverlake neighborhood. Their individual projects don't seem to have much in common, but for the next year, they'll be working together to develop public programs and events at the venue—think album release parties, art exhibitions and workshops that have a link to their own projects.

Some of these projects have an obvious tie-in to Quiksilver's extreme sporting heritage, like that of Jesse Rodato, an architect who's developing "guerrilla" skate parks for inner-city kids, or Dorothy Le's bike safety education program. But most others have a more cultural bent—singer/songwriters recording their first albums, a fashion blogger looking to build her own media empire, an automotive designer developing an eco-friendly concept car and a multi-disciplinary artist creating collaborative community events.

"Quiksilver has done a fantastic job of introducing me to the right people and providing the resources for me to really do what I want," says Beth Jones, the aforementioned fashion writer, who will soon be relaunching her website, The Vintage Society. "There are lots of girls who have a passion, but who might be too scared to develop it. Meeting us inspires them to go for their dream, even if everyone else might not think it's realistic."

—Erin Magner