Takin' it to the street.RP55, an urban sportswear company, celebrates hip-hop culture Ralph Reynolds and Ron Perry, founders of the young men's urban sportswear powerhouse A fourth-generation language from Cognos that was introduced in the late 1970s for midrange computers. It supports both character-oriented, terminal-based applications as well as Windows clients. Applications developed under PowerHouse can be imported into Cognos' Axiant client/server environment. BP55, initially met and became partners in 1994, combining their marketing and creative genius and putting them to the test. Latching latch n. 1. A fastening, as for a door or gate, typically consisting of a bar that fits into a notch or slot and is lifted from either side by a lever or string. 2. on to the hip-hop fashion explosion, Reynolds designed a flashy logo for oversized o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. T-shirts. The design took off, and the seed for RP55 was planted. Today, native New Yorker yorker Noun Cricket a ball bowled so as to pitch just under or just beyond the bat [probably after the Yorkshire County Cricket Club] Reynolds, 40, is the head designer and sole owner of RP55. The company has 3,000 retail accounts in the U.S. and 1,500 internationally. Revenues for year-end 2000 were $25 million. Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area in the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It is the most populous city in Virginia and the 41st largest city in the United States, with an estimated , RP55 has the distinction of having its own sewing sewing: see needlework. factory, where it employs three designers and produces 20% of its collection. In such a competitive and trendy field, Reynolds says his biggest challenge is keeping his focus on what he's doing, as opposed to what his competitors or newcomers in the field are doing. He has plans to increase the number of labels and brands under RP55, and recently launched a new line to produce clothing for men and women between the ages of 17 and 30. "This line will be a little less hard-core hip-hop," says Reynolds. "A lot of people who started with us when we launched have grown up, but they still want to wear the brand." Consequently, Reynolds plans to change the company's name this fall to Reynolds & Perry to reflect its evolution from sportswear to a more contemporary line. David Rice, chairman and founder of the Organization of Black Designers, based in Washington, D.C., says, "It appears the company is off to a good start" But for those interested in entering the urban apparel industry, Rice cautions, "Consumer tastes can change radically and very quickly. To succeed in this industry, business owners should consider creating a true brand that embodies the core values of [their] customers, analyze the cost-effectiveness of producing clothing in-house, and obtain licensing to expand and reinforce the brand." RP55, 1164 Millers Lane, Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, resort city (1990 pop. 393,069), independent and in no county, SE Va., on the Atlantic coast; inc. 1906. In 1963, Princess Anne co. and the former small town of Virginia Beach were merged, giving the present city an area of 302 sq mi (782 sq km). , VA 23451; 757-491-0076 |
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