There’s a new player in the athletic apparel game: RYU (Respect Your Universe).
In 2011, Marcello Leone invested in Portland, Ore.-based RYU, which was then a struggling fitness brand focused on mixed martial arts. Leone, who spent most of his career operating Vancouver luxury retailer Leone, bought the company in 2014 and became CEO. He moved the headquarters to Vancouver and spent the last year reimagining RYU with a team of designers.
RYU bills itself as the first ever “athletic tech” apparel brand, with products that have been engineered for athletes, but are stylish enough to wear outside the gym. On. Nov. 27, RYU opened its first flagship store in Vancouver. Marketing talked with Leone about the reinvention of RYU and his big plans for the brand.
Tell me why you decided to invest in, and later buy RYU. What opportunity did you see?
I really liked the whole health and wellness space. When I was young, it was okay not to go to the gym, and the guys who went to the gym were the muscle guys. Today, it’s all about feeling good, getting our heart going and eating well. Society has become much more conscious on looking and feeling good… I’ve been in the apparel business a long time, and if there’s one growing category in apparel it’s the athletic space.
How would you describe the new RYU brand?
[We set out] to develop the world’s first tech apparel brand. We had no intention of being like so many other athletic apparel brands and trying to duplicate what others have done. Our objective was to create a category within a category, to do a beautiful blend between athletics and technical garments. We wanted the brand to be urban, technical, athletic, beautiful, tough. And not only would the fabrics be technical—they would have wicking and be odour-resistant etc.—but how could we also solve problems that athletes had and make their experience even better when they were working out? And more importantly, what happens with the eight out of 10 people who purchase athletic apparel, but don’t even go to the gym? So our DNA was to develop competitive advantages; lead in those categories; make sure that our look was clean, simple and timeless; and have components to our product that would be very different from what the others have in the marketplace.
What was the brand like before?
When I invested, RYU was in the mixed martial arts space, which was a very narrow focus. That was at the end of the cusp of that big MMA push that everybody loved… and then that lost its potency by 2012. I knew the product had to have global significance and timeless significance and had to be meaningful to all athletes. We weren’t [going after] a specific sport. We were inclusive to all activities and sports. [Someone’s definition] of being an athlete might be going jogging four times a week and going for a walk with [their husband or wife] twice a week. So for us, it was being more of the people’s brand and connecting with that multi-disciplined athlete versus specific professional sports athletes.
What’s the look and feel of the your new flagship location?
We have hardwood floors with wood beams, metal racking and a lot of faceouts on the product. It’s very inviting and open. People can hang out in the store, and can easily touch and feel product… We have a nutrition bar and a nice seating area where people can hang out with their computers. There’s also an upstairs area where we have a training platform where our brand connectors [influencers like fitness instructors] can workout and test products. It’s very much an inclusive space, where it’s the hub and the heart and soul of our brand.
What are your expansion plans?
Over the next 10 years our goal is to open 163 of our own retail stores [in North America] and to continue to develop a very strong ecommerce business. We’ll also look at some potential global partnerships in international markets with good, established retailers. In 2016, we’ll open two more stores: one in British Columbia and one in California.
RYU LAUNCHES WITH ‘BEAUTIFUL, TOUGH’ CAMPAIGN
In support of its new flagship shop in Vancouver, RYU launched its “Beautiful Tough” campaign. The campaign, which was developed in-house, includes local out-of-home ads, an anthem video and social media marketing.
“[Beautiful Tough]” is the essence of our brand,” said George Crookshank, director of communications at RYU. “We see it as beauty, toughness, determination and an unwavering belief that everything and anything is possible. We believe that beautiful is an achievement; it’s not an aesthetic. It’s no longer about looking better, but being better.”
Crookshank said the goal is to make “an authentic connection with every person out there who considers themselves to be athletic, whether they’re a 5K walker, runner, CrossFitter, Spartan racer, Tough Rudder – whatever your game is. We don’t focus on the game, but we want to be part of the training.”
