Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	$ 14,923	$ (30,624)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(37,617)	(625)
Depreciation and amortization	10,545	11,943
Stock based compensation	5,063	7,336
Provision for doubtful accounts	1,662	1,248
Asset impairments	883	3,168
Equity in earnings	352	(11)
Non-cash interest expense	914	911
Deferred income taxes	5	1,135
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	2,799	2,661
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	64,203	85,538
Inventories	(32,663)	(69,405)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(35,185)	(3,313)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(4,116)	9,962
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(7,195)	13,354
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(11,311)	23,316
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(10,558)	(12,100)
Changes in restricted cash	(60,617)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(71,175)	(12,100)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	76,719	(678)
Net cash (used in)/ provided by investing activities	5,544	(12,778)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		1,963
Payments on lines of credit		(8,042)
Borrowings on long-term debt	70,966	47,879
Payments on long term debt	(50,370)	(23,200)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	3,138	3,319
Payments of debt issuance costs	(335)
Intercompany
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	23,399	21,919
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	23,399	21,919
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(4,924)	(5,919)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	12,708	26,538
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	57,280	41,823
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	69,988	68,361
Quiksilver, Inc. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	15,387	(31,129)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations
Depreciation and amortization	585	445
Stock based compensation	5,063	7,336
Asset impairments
Equity in earnings	(35,932)	7,847
Non-cash interest expense	462	392
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	35	154
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other operating assets and liabilities	12,141	1,707
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(2,259)	(13,248)
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(2,259)	(13,248)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(1,970)	(1,708)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(1,970)	(1,708)
Net cash (used in)/ provided by investing activities	(1,970)	(1,708)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit
Payments on lines of credit
Borrowings on long-term debt
Payments on long term debt
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	3,138	3,319
Payments of debt issuance costs	(373)
Intercompany	1,463	11,732
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	4,228	15,051
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	4,228	15,051
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1)	95
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	35	324
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	34	419
QS Wholesale, Inc. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	6,787	(135)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(23,922)
Depreciation and amortization	2,589	2,789
Provision for doubtful accounts	1,088	226
Asset impairments
Equity in earnings	74	(204)
Non-cash interest expense	239	330
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	(9)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	12,327	14,023
Inventories	(9,271)	(19,663)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(11,998)	7,235
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(22,096)	4,601
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(22,096)	4,601
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(2,397)	(1,517)
Changes in restricted cash	(60,214)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(62,611)	(1,517)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	58,060
Net cash (used in)/ provided by investing activities	(4,551)	(1,517)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit
Payments on lines of credit
Borrowings on long-term debt	40,500	23,000
Payments on long term debt	(18,500)	(23,200)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases
Payments of debt issuance costs	38
Intercompany	8,134	(636)
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	30,172	(836)
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	30,172	(836)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	3,525	2,248
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	3,733	1,966
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	7,258	4,214
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	25,081	(13,837)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(13,531)	170
Depreciation and amortization	1,330	1,220
Provision for doubtful accounts	(209)	(1,427)
Asset impairments	222	1,335
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	(219)	(105)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	13,169	35,553
Inventories	(2,884)	(6,439)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(16,366)	(13,751)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	6,593	2,719
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(1,861)	8,512
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	4,732	11,231
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(1,299)	(1,547)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(1,299)	(1,547)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	18,991	(33)
Net cash (used in)/ provided by investing activities	17,692	(1,580)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit
Payments on lines of credit
Borrowings on long-term debt
Payments on long term debt
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases
Intercompany	(24,659)	(11,742)
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	(24,659)	(11,742)
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(24,659)	(11,742)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,235)	(2,091)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	296	(1,831)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	(1,939)	(3,922)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	12,867	5,574
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(164)	(769)
Depreciation and amortization	6,041	7,489
Provision for doubtful accounts	783	2,449
Asset impairments	661	1,833
Equity in earnings	352	(11)
Non-cash interest expense	213	189
Deferred income taxes	5	1,135
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	2,992	2,612
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	38,707	35,962
Inventories	(29,849)	(41,888)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(18,962)	1,496
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	13,646	16,071
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(5,334)	4,661
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	8,312	20,732
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(4,892)	(7,328)
Changes in restricted cash	(403)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(5,295)	(7,328)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	(332)	(645)
Net cash (used in)/ provided by investing activities	(5,627)	(7,973)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		1,963
Payments on lines of credit		(8,042)
Borrowings on long-term debt	30,466	24,879
Payments on long term debt	(31,870)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases
Intercompany	15,062	646
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	13,658	19,446
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	13,658	19,446
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(4,924)	(5,919)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	11,419	26,286
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	53,216	41,364
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	64,635	67,650
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	(45,199)	8,903
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		(26)
Asset impairments
Equity in earnings	35,858	(7,643)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Inventories	9,341	(1,415)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations		(181)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations		181
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit
Payments on lines of credit
Borrowings on long-term debt
Payments on long term debt
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases
Intercompany
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period