25 Years of Full Steam Ahead

A professional surfer who became a fashion entre- preneur: Roberto Ricci, the founder of RRD, has set ambitious growth targets for 2020 after completely restructuring sales in the DACH region.

RRD ROBERTO RICCI DESIGNS

25 YEARS OF FULL STEAM AHEAD

Tuscan label RRD celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019. In the German-speaking market in particular, founder and owner Roberto Ricci has set himself ambitious goals for the coming year. style in progress met the former professional windsurfer for a conversation about change and constancy.

Text: Janaina Engelmann-Brothánek. Photos: RRD

Roberto Ricci founded the RRD brand in 1994 with the idea of creating a product “related to the sea and water sports”. The label has developed rapidly ever since. Today, it is no longer merely a premium outerwear specialist. Trousers, shirts, and knitwear for men and women are now also part of the current collection, which even meets more elegant demands. The clientele has grown far beyond the surfer scene. It ranges from teenagers to older consumers who are looking for a technical product, but also have a certain design awareness. Ricci expects to generate sales of 35 million Euros in the coming year; the focus remains on expansion. Much is planned for the DACH region in particular, not least due to a recently agreed cooperation with Munich-based sales agency D-tails and its owner Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz. “The German market has always been one of the most important for us. End consumers here are particularly attentive and seek the perfect combination of functionality and aesthetics, technology and quality. These elements are typical for Italian design.” Ricci speaks of “per-fromance”, meaning he perceives RRD as a combination of performance and romance. “Naturally, the price/performance ratio has to be on point, and you also have to make an effort in terms of sustainability,” the former surfer says. The Grosseto-based company has its roots in water sports, which is why RRD is so interested in maintaining a relationship with nature, being active in nature, and having the right outfit for it. “I invite our customers to go out, travel to the sea, rediscover nature, and learn to respect it.” Moreover, the company is working on ensuring that only environmentally friendly packaging is used. In the future, RRD not only wants to use recycled fibres, but also ensure that all production and distribution processes in general are made more sustainable. What are the new features of the collection? “The most exciting novelty is definitely the Stichless range. The various components are ultrasonically welded and reinforced on the inside with tapes, meaning that the seams disappear completely, as is the case with our surf suits.” Lycra products remain the bestsellers in the RRD collection. This also includes the “stratofabrics”: Lycra pieces that are combined with other fabrics and materials in layers. In 2020, the first mono-brand store will open in Forte dei Marmi, a hotspot of the Tuscan Riviera and summer meeting place for Italians and tourists from all over the world. RRD remains true to its origins and to the sea, but with the aim of establishing itself in the high fashion segment. “Avanti tutta,” as one says!