Renzo Rosso facts for kids

Renzo Rosso's signature.

Renzo Rosso (born in 1955) is an Italian businessman. He is famous for starting the fashion brand Diesel. He also leads the OTB Group, which owns many other fashion brands. These include Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf, and Jil Sander. In 2022, his wealth was estimated to be about US$3.6 billion.

Business career

Starting Diesel

The Diesel logo.

Renzo Rosso left college in 1975. He started working at Moltex, a company that made trousers. The owner, Adriano Goldschmied, became his mentor.

In 1977, Rosso wanted to start his own business. Goldschmied convinced him to stay. They formed a new company together called Diesel. Rosso became a partner in the Genius Group, which owned other brands too.

The name Diesel was chosen because it meant "alternative fuel" during the oil crisis. Rosso and Goldschmied wanted their jeans to be seen as an alternative choice. They also liked that "Diesel" sounds the same in many languages. This fit Rosso's idea that fashion should be global. By 2013, Diesel had sold over 100 million pairs of jeans.

In 1985, Rosso took full control of Diesel. He traded his shares in the Genius Group for Goldschmied's shares in Diesel. Diesel's sales were about $5 million a year then. Rosso focused on denim and tried new ways to treat the fabric. He built a strong design team, and the company grew a lot.

Diesel opened big stores in major cities like New York City, San Francisco, Rome, and London. They also launched their website.

OTB Group

In the early 2000s, Renzo Rosso began investing in other fashion companies. He became a big name in the fashion world. In 2000, he bought Staff International.

Rosso wanted to build a "democratic" and different fashion group. He aimed to support new generation brands. Today, OTB Group owns parts of Diesel, Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf, Jil Sander, and Amiri. It also controls Staff International and Brave Kid. These companies make and sell clothes for many fashion labels.

Staff International

Renzo Rosso bought Staff International in 2000. This company was known for making clothes for famous designers. These included Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino. When Rosso bought it, Staff International was already working with Martin Margiela.

Today, Staff International helps distribute brands like Maison Margiela and Marni.

Maison Margiela

In 2002, Rosso bought most of the fashion house Maison Margiela. He admired the brand for being unique. Rosso invested in the company to improve its production. By 2005, Maison Margiela's sales had doubled. By 2008, the company was making a profit.

Viktor & Rolf

In 2008, Rosso also bought most of Viktor & Rolf. The designers, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, said they chose Rosso because he understood creativity. They believed he had the vision to make their brand successful.

Brave Kid

In 1984, Renzo Rosso created Dieselito, a children's clothing line. It became Diesel Kid in 1999. In 2012, it became a separate company called Brave Kid.

Other ventures

L.R. Vicenza football club

In 1996, Rosso became the owner of the Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team. This was the main football club in his city, Bassano del Grappa. He led the club to achieve its best results ever. They won a league championship in 2005.

In 2018, Rosso took over the historic Vicenza Calcio soccer team. He bought it after the team faced financial problems.

Red Circle Investments

In 1992, Rosso bought a farm near Diesel's headquarters. He started making wine and olive oil there. This farm is now called Diesel Farm. It is considered a natural reserve. In 2015, Diesel Farm began to become fully organic.

In 1994, Rosso reopened the Pelican Hotel in Miami. He loved the old Art Deco building and bought it in 1991. His team helped restore it.

Rosso also made smaller investments through his company, Red Circle Investments. In 2009, he invested in Yoox, an online clothing retailer. In 2013, he became a partner in the Chiltern Firehouse hotel in London.

Helping others

OTB Foundation

In 2008, Rosso started the OTB Foundation. This is a non-profit group. It helps less fortunate areas develop in a good way.

In 2009, the OTB Foundation worked with Millennium Promise. They supported a village in Mali, Africa. Their goal was to help end extreme poverty there. Rosso was named a Millennium Promise Global Leader at the United Nations. He joined other famous people like Bill Gates and Queen Rania.

In 2012, Rosso spoke at the United Nations about the foundation's progress. He talked about how extreme poverty could disappear from Africa.

Later in 2012, Rosso created the Brave Circle Fund. He gave 5 million euros of his own money to help people in Italy. This fund helped those affected by earthquakes in Emilia-Romagna. It provided small loans to help people rebuild homes and businesses.

In December 2012, Rosso promised to donate 5 million euros. This money would help restore Venice's famous Rialto Bridge.

In 2008, Rosso also donated money to help children. This was for children affected by the Sichuan earthquake in China. Since 2010, he has invested in projects in his home region of Veneto. This includes bringing free public Wi-Fi and restoring buildings in Bassano del Grappa.

Awards

Renzo Rosso has received many awards for his work. He won Grand Prix awards several times. In 1998, he was named Advertiser of the Year.

In 2004, he received the International Leading Entrepreneur Award. This award honors business leaders with vision and courage. In 2005, the German edition of GQ magazine named him "Man of the Year."

He has also received honorary degrees from two Italian universities. In 2010, he was named a Millennium Promise Global Leader at the United Nations. In 2011, the President of Italy made him a Knight of Labor. This is a high honor for Italian workers. In 2015, he received an honorary research doctorate. This was for changing how people think about fashion.

Books

Renzo Rosso has published four books. These include 'Forty' (1996), 'Fifty' (2005), 'Be Stupid: For Successful Living' (2011), and 'Radical Renaissance 55+5' (2016).

'Be Stupid: For Successful Living' shares his business advice. It explains how being brave and seeing new possibilities helped him succeed. This book is based on Diesel's "Be Stupid" advertising campaign.

'Forty' and 'Fifty' look at important moments in Diesel's history. 'Fifty' includes thoughts from famous people like the Dalai Lama and Vivienne Westwood.

'Radical Renaissance 55+5' was published for his 60th birthday. It shows the growth of his companies. It includes photos of campaigns and fashion shows.

Another book, "Diesel Dream Disruption Deviation Denim," came out in 2019. Other books about Renzo Rosso include "Diesel: World Wide Wear" and "Revolution."

Personal life

Renzo Rosso was born in Brugine, Italy. Since the 1970s, he has lived in Bassano del Grappa. He is married and has seven children. Three of his children work in his company.

Rosso enjoys exercising, doing Pilates, and cycling in his free time. He loves art and collects works by artists like Andy Warhol. He also supports young artists through projects like Diesel New Art.

See also

In Spanish: Renzo Rosso (empresario) para niños

Images for kids

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  Renzo Rosso's signature.

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  The Diesel logo.