Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	$ (306,960)	$ (317,954)	$ (230,384)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income from discontinued operations	(6,732)	(9,440)	(5,886)
Depreciation and amortization	42,720	51,938	49,958
Stock-based compensation	4,342	17,260	21,556
Provision for doubtful accounts	9,533	21,856	5,729
Asset impairments	118,538	189,131	12,327
Reorganization items - non-cash	17,894	0	0
Equity in earnings	2,091	228	613
Interest expense - non-cash	3,035	3,469	6,795
Deferred income taxes	(319)	(4,823)	159,097
Other adjustments to reconcile net loss	2,440	(6,520)	(1,382)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	62,674	49,551	(10,194)
Inventories	(30,850)	37,784	(6,027)
Intercompany	0	0
Other operating assets and liabilities	34,339	(41,001)	22,686
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(47,255)	(8,521)	24,888
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities of discontinued operations	4,668	(18,414)	2,304
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(42,587)	(26,935)	27,192
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	499	5,650	859
Capital expenditures	(32,976)	(53,415)	(52,182)
Changes in restricted cash	18,030	(21,201)	0
Intercompany	(77,533)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(91,980)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(14,447)	(68,966)	(51,323)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	10,713	75,114	(2,570)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(81,267)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(3,734)	6,148	(53,893)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Transactions with non-controlling interest owners	0	0	(58)
Borrowings on lines of credit	66,339	57,413	6,157
Payments on lines of credit	(69,894)	(24,485)	(22,561)
Borrowings on debtor-in-possession financing	108,963	0	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing	(73,060)	0	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing fees	(900)	0	0
Borrowings on long-term debt	106,263	197,086	652,915
Payments on debt	(92,294)	(222,172)	(582,456)
Payments of debt issuance costs	0	(123)	(14,277)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	629	5,902	9,944
Intercompany	77,533	0	0
Cash (used in)/provided by financing activities of continuing operations	123,579
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	46,046	13,621	49,664
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	123,579
Net cash provided by financing activities	46,046	13,621	49,664
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(9,928)	(3,450)	(7,506)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(10,203)	(10,616)	15,457
Cash and cash equivalents	36,461	46,664	57,280	$ 41,823
Quiksilver, Inc. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	(306,172)	(308,064)	(229,424)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	689
Depreciation and amortization	2,989	2,696	2,218
Stock-based compensation	4,342	17,260	21,556
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0	0
Asset impairments	0	2,043	0
Reorganization items - non-cash	10,454
Equity in earnings	242,644	223,412	134,970
Interest expense - non-cash	1,688	1,911	4,702
Deferred income taxes	48	0	0
Other adjustments to reconcile net loss	(1,178)	(375)	316
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Intercompany	130,730	132,629
Other operating assets and liabilities	(11,861)	(16,870)	8,327
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	73,684	54,642	(56,646)
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	73,684	54,642	(56,646)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	0	174	55
Capital expenditures	(3,496)	(6,480)	(7,347)
Changes in restricted cash	(125)	0
Intercompany	(66,092)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(69,713)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations		(6,306)	(7,292)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(69,713)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities		(6,306)	(7,292)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Transactions with non-controlling interest owners			0
Borrowings on lines of credit	0	0	0
Payments on lines of credit	0	0	0
Borrowings on debtor-in-possession financing	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing fees	0
Borrowings on long-term debt	0	0	500,776
Payments on debt	(577)	0	(400,000)
Payments of debt issuance costs		(160)	(9,965)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	629	5,902	9,944
Intercompany	0	(53,955)	(37,106)
Cash (used in)/provided by financing activities of continuing operations	52
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations		(48,213)	63,649
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	52
Net cash provided by financing activities		(48,213)	63,649
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(99)	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	3,924	123	(289)
Cash and cash equivalents	4,082	158	35	324
QS Wholesale, Inc. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	(93,641)	(35,313)	32,506
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	10,403	10,712	11,556
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	1,521	15,515	(129)
Asset impairments	62,480	40,430	1,646
Reorganization items - non-cash	7,440
Equity in earnings	(7,625)	4,509	2,739
Interest expense - non-cash	1,146	1,016	1,312
Deferred income taxes	(911)	1,467	(1,750)
Other adjustments to reconcile net loss	(167)	(295)	27
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	8,120	10,187	(9,322)
Inventories	(10,083)	21,738	(7,293)
Intercompany	(35,152)	(45,566)
Other operating assets and liabilities	8,254	5,948	3,080
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(48,215)	30,348	34,372
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities of discontinued operations	0	(18,791)	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(48,215)	11,557	34,372
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	26	94	0
Capital expenditures	(2,156)	(12,365)	(6,606)
Changes in restricted cash	16,514	(16,514)
Intercompany	(11,441)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	2,943
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations		(28,785)	(6,606)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	19,000	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	2,943
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities		(9,785)	(6,606)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Transactions with non-controlling interest owners			(58)
Borrowings on lines of credit	0	0	0
Payments on lines of credit	0	0	0
Borrowings on debtor-in-possession financing	105,454
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing	(70,618)
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing fees	(900)
Borrowings on long-term debt	63,561	117,068	59,829
Payments on debt	(53,645)	(95,976)	(129,123)
Payments of debt issuance costs		37	(4,312)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0	0
Intercompany	0	(22,801)	47,665
Cash (used in)/provided by financing activities of continuing operations	43,852
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations		(1,672)	(25,999)
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations		(966)	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	43,852
Net cash provided by financing activities		(2,638)	(25,999)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1,420)	(866)	1,767
Cash and cash equivalents	1,447	2,867	3,733	1,966
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	(49,481)	(14,121)	8,871
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income from discontinued operations	2	(29,244)	(5,211)
Depreciation and amortization	6,049	9,752	6,031
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	540	437	(1,823)
Asset impairments	20,606	4,267	5,939
Reorganization items - non-cash	0
Equity in earnings	0	0	0
Interest expense - non-cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(550)	0	0
Other adjustments to reconcile net loss	94	(306)	(196)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	8,260	9,850	33,619
Inventories	(1,492)	21,342	5,774
Intercompany	(61,387)	(128,989)
Other operating assets and liabilities	11,642	(18,527)	(20,748)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(65,717)	(145,539)	32,256
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities of discontinued operations	(2)	16,805	1,515
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(65,719)	(128,734)	33,771
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	0	532	12
Capital expenditures	(9,113)	(10,569)	(7,965)
Changes in restricted cash	0	0
Intercompany	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(9,113)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations		(10,037)	(7,953)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	58,052	(268)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(9,113)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities		48,015	(8,221)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Transactions with non-controlling interest owners			0
Borrowings on lines of credit	0	0	0
Payments on lines of credit	0	0	0
Borrowings on debtor-in-possession financing	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing fees	0
Borrowings on long-term debt	0	0	0
Payments on debt	0	0	0
Payments of debt issuance costs		0	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0	0
Intercompany	77,533	76,756	(23,423)
Cash (used in)/provided by financing activities of continuing operations	77,533
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations		76,756	(23,423)
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations		966	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	77,533
Net cash provided by financing activities		77,722	(23,423)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	2,701	(2,997)	2,127
Cash and cash equivalents	0	(2,701)	296	(1,831)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	(91,271)	(188,354)	(154,314)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income from discontinued operations	(6,734)	19,804	(1,353)
Depreciation and amortization	23,279	28,778	30,153
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	7,472	5,904	7,681
Asset impairments	35,452	142,391	4,742
Reorganization items - non-cash	0
Equity in earnings	2,091	228	613
Interest expense - non-cash	201	542	781
Deferred income taxes	1,094	(6,290)	160,847
Other adjustments to reconcile net loss	3,691	(5,544)	(1,529)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	46,294	29,514	(34,491)
Inventories	(20,689)	(5,319)	(30,251)
Intercompany	(32,178)	41,926
Other operating assets and liabilities	26,304	(11,552)	32,027
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(4,994)	52,028	14,906
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities of discontinued operations	4,670	(16,428)	789
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(324)	35,600	15,695
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	473	4,850	792
Capital expenditures	(18,211)	(24,001)	(30,264)
Changes in restricted cash	1,641	(4,687)
Intercompany	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(16,097)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations		(23,838)	(29,472)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	10,713	(1,938)	(2,302)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(5,384)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities		(25,776)	(31,774)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Transactions with non-controlling interest owners			0
Borrowings on lines of credit	66,339	57,413	6,157
Payments on lines of credit	(69,894)	(24,485)	(22,561)
Borrowings on debtor-in-possession financing	3,509
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing	(2,442)
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing fees	0
Borrowings on long-term debt	42,702	80,018	92,310
Payments on debt	(38,072)	(126,196)	(53,333)
Payments of debt issuance costs		0	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0	0
Intercompany	0	0	12,864
Cash (used in)/provided by financing activities of continuing operations	2,142
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations		(13,250)	35,437
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	2,142
Net cash provided by financing activities		(13,250)	35,437
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(9,829)	(3,450)	(7,506)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(13,395)	(6,876)	11,852
Cash and cash equivalents	32,945	46,340	53,216	41,364
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	233,605	227,898	111,977
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	(11)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0	0
Asset impairments	0	0	0
Reorganization items - non-cash	0
Equity in earnings	(235,019)	(227,921)	$ (137,709)
Interest expense - non-cash	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0	$ 0
Other adjustments to reconcile net loss	0	0	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	0	0	0
Inventories	1,414	23	25,743
Intercompany	(2,013)	0
Other operating assets and liabilities	0	0	0
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(2,013)	0	0
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(2,013)	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Changes in restricted cash	0	0
Intercompany	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations		0	0
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities		0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Transactions with non-controlling interest owners			0
Borrowings on lines of credit	0	0	0
Payments on lines of credit	0	0	0
Borrowings on debtor-in-possession financing	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing	0
Payments on debtor-in-possession financing fees	0
Borrowings on long-term debt	0	0	0
Payments on debt	0	0	0
Payments of debt issuance costs		0	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0	0
Intercompany	0	0	0
Cash (used in)/provided by financing activities of continuing operations	0
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations		0	0
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	0
Net cash provided by financing activities		0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,013)	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	$ (2,013)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0