Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012	Apr. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Jan. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	$ 558,966	$ 512,439	$ 492,213	$ 449,621	$ 545,201	$ 503,317	$ 478,093	$ 426,450	$ 2,013,239	$ 1,953,061	$ 1,837,620
Cost of goods sold									1,032,893	929,227	870,372
Gross profit	256,759	253,488	242,149	227,950	283,077	255,118	262,169	223,470	980,346	1,023,834	967,248
Selling, general and administrative expense									916,144	895,949	832,066
Asset impairments									7,234	86,373	11,657
Operating (loss)/income									56,968	41,512	123,525
Interest expense, net									60,823	73,808	114,109
Foreign currency loss (gain)									(1,669)	(111)	(5,917)
Equity in earnings and other (income)/expense									282	(355)	(524)
(Loss)/income before provision (benefit) for income taxes									(2,186)	(32,185)	15,333
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes									7,557	(14,315)	23,433
(Loss)/income from continuing operations									(9,743)	(17,870)	(8,100)
Income from discontinued operations											1,830
Net loss									(9,743)	(17,870)	(6,270)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									(1,013)	(3,388)	(3,414)
Net loss attributable to Quiksilver, Inc.	4,359	12,610	(5,120)	(22,605)	67,898	10,437	(83,325)	(16,268)	(10,756)	(21,258)	(9,684)
Quiksilver, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net									469	464	376
Gross profit									469	464	376
Selling, general and administrative expense									56,983	43,045	36,867
Operating (loss)/income									(56,514)	(42,581)	(36,491)
Interest expense, net									28,987	28,871	28,721
Foreign currency loss (gain)									(173)	30	(285)
Equity in earnings and other (income)/expense									(74,572)	(50,224)	(50,399)
(Loss)/income before provision (benefit) for income taxes									(10,756)	(21,258)	(14,528)
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes											(4,844)
(Loss)/income from continuing operations											(9,684)
Net loss									(10,756)	(21,258)	(9,684)
Net loss attributable to Quiksilver, Inc.									(10,756)	(21,258)	(9,684)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net									854,754	736,110	683,767
Cost of goods sold									505,420	399,493	373,740
Gross profit									349,334	336,617	310,027
Selling, general and administrative expense									311,886	311,840	283,347
Asset impairments									5,162	3,399	7,585
Operating (loss)/income									32,286	21,378	19,095
Interest expense, net									5,351	3,785	55,070
Foreign currency loss (gain)									(35)	(40)	(124)
Equity in earnings and other (income)/expense									4,674	(836)	(1,482)
(Loss)/income before provision (benefit) for income taxes									22,296	18,469	(34,369)
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes									1,144	165	522
(Loss)/income from continuing operations											(34,891)
Income from discontinued operations											1,485
Net loss									21,152	18,304	(33,406)
Net loss attributable to Quiksilver, Inc.									21,152	18,304	(33,406)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net									1,262,757	1,270,320	1,195,536
Cost of goods sold									602,115	554,593	511,777
Gross profit									660,642	715,727	683,759
Selling, general and administrative expense									577,868	566,703	537,153
Asset impairments									2,072	82,974	4,072
Operating (loss)/income									80,702	66,050	142,534
Interest expense, net									26,485	41,152	30,318
Foreign currency loss (gain)									(1,461)	(101)	(5,508)
Equity in earnings and other (income)/expense									282	(197)	(524)
(Loss)/income before provision (benefit) for income taxes									55,678	24,999	117,724
(Benefit)/provision for income taxes									6,413	(14,480)	27,755
(Loss)/income from continuing operations											89,969
Income from discontinued operations											345
Net loss									49,265	39,479	90,314
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									(1,013)	(3,388)	(3,414)
Net loss attributable to Quiksilver, Inc.									48,252	36,091	86,900
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net									(104,741)	(53,833)	(42,059)
Cost of goods sold									(74,642)	(24,859)	(15,145)
Gross profit									(30,099)	(28,974)	(26,914)
Selling, general and administrative expense									(30,593)	(25,639)	(25,301)
Operating (loss)/income									494	(3,335)	(1,613)
Equity in earnings and other (income)/expense									69,898	51,060	51,881
(Loss)/income before provision (benefit) for income taxes									(69,404)	(54,395)	(53,494)
(Loss)/income from continuing operations											(53,494)
Net loss									(69,404)	(54,395)	(53,494)
Net loss attributable to Quiksilver, Inc.									$ (69,404)	$ (54,395)	$ (53,494)