RRD Supports Rebel Sessions 2017
RRD – Roberto Ricci Designs are proud to support the Rebel Sessions initiative to reward and encourage cold water big wave riding in the South African winter months. Roberto Ricci says: “ As much as I enjoy the Cape Town summer months, I admire the local big wave riders who go out in the winter months and surf Dungeons at its best. Paddling out there into the biggest waves is inspiring, especially for the next generation of surfers. Rebel Sessions initiative to partner with organisations such as waves4change, bringing township kids into surfing, away from the street life, gives big wave surfing an additional value that we enthusiastically support.“
RRD , Ian Armstrong & the Lucky Fish :
Over the past 10 years RRD has fostered close ties with the South African water sports community, Roberto, his family and the RRD team spend their summer months in Cape Town, researching and developing new equipment, training team riders and spending quality time with local and international riders; kiting, windsurfing , SUPing and surfing in the cold, crisp perfection of the Cape.
Through a shared passion for surfing and shaping boards RRD has developed an close connection and friendship with renowned local surfer and shaper Ian Armstrong and a close collaboration between Roberto and Ian has developed.
Ian is a former S.A. big wave champ and two of his sons, Max and Asha, both young surfers sponsored by RRD, have also represented their country. The Armstrong family of 7 children live a close-to-nature life in Scarborough , in the pristine beauty of the deep south of the Cape peninsular.
Ian and Roberto share a passion for shaping and developing boards and while each have decades of experience, both still strive to develop the best boards to ride on each and every kind of wave.
Today Ian is in charge of the development of the RRD Surfboard line and his “Lucky Fish” surf design is now part of the RRD board family.
BACKGROUND
RRD - Roberto Ricci Designs was founded in 1989 between Tuscany and the island of Maui, Hawaii. As a professional windsurfer Roberto's first products were custom made windsurfing boards, designed and painstakingly crafted by Roberto's own hands, and ridden by the top windsurfers around the world.
Roberto's contagious passion and technical expertise quickly lead to RRD becoming one of the leading brands in Windsurfing and Kitesurfing industries internationally.
A couple of year later, in 1995 , the RRD clothing line was established by combining the passion and ambition of two young friends (Roberto Ricci and Roberto Bardini), starting with the development of specific boardshorts and t-shirts designed to address the passion of those who ride wind and waves all over the world.
The RRD clothing originates from the desire to re-invent the classic surf-lifestyle concept according to Roberto’s lifestyle.
This re-invention can be summarized by the term ‘PERF-ROMANCE’ (combination of sporting performance with romance, or, one’s romantic view of life).
VISION
Roberto has always followed his passions and ideals, to produce only products that he enjoys himself. The slogans, ‘Non-stop research & development’ and ‘We were uncool before uncool was cool’, explain a lot about the company and its focus.
“Our focus is to move in the direction of our choice and keep on improving our products on a daily basis by testing and developing them worldwide. We do not develop new products just for sales or marketing reasons or because it’s the cool thing to do. We develop new products because we love them and we release them in production only when it’s proven they are better than the status quo.”
MISSION
"We are passionate about combining quality, technology, artisanal touch and refined design that is functional and accessible to everyone in watersports and fashion. We make products that we love, that can be used by everyone, not only by the elite of watersports enthusiasts or fashion fans.
We pride ourselves in using the latest technologies from fabric textiles to composite materials combined with creative design and genuine Italian style: this is what RRD stands for."
This strong and unique mix breathes through the use of our products and stimulates mind and body of the RRD users.
A healthy, strong and gentle, positive ideal of a human being that lives in harmony with society and the surrounding environment, yearning to share passions and outdoor experiences, namely the ones with the ocean and her majestic message.