FORMER EIDOS CREATIVE DIRECTOR MOVES TO ROLLER RABBIT TO LAUNCH NEW MEN’S LINE
Antonio K. Ciongoli, the former designer of Eidos, has been named the creative director of a newly formed multi-brand platform called RRR Brands LLC and its first acquisition, Roller Rabbit.
The group acquired the travel and lifestyle brand, which is currently focused on women’s, children and home, in October 2017 with the long-term goal of building a portfolio of luxury artisanal brands. Founded by Roberta Freymann in 2003, its resort-focused product is primarily inspired by traditional Indian block printing and Eastern artisan production. It currently operates 12 retail stores globally, as well as a robust e-commerce and wholesale business.
“As someone who is deeply passionate about artisanship, I am thrilled to be working with Roller Rabbit – a brand that’s primary medium is a truly handmade product,” said Ciongoli.
He will be overseeing all creative aspects of the brand going forward and will be using its supply chain to develop a corresponding but freestanding men’s brand called 18 East that will be sold primarily direct to consumer via 18east.co and Roller Rabbit’s own retail channels. 18 East will be soft launched in fall 2018 with a larger, more comprehensive assortment in Holiday.
Ciongoli is a creative director with over 10 years of international luxury sportswear design experience. Most recently he has led Eidos, a unisex global lifestyle brand he conceptualized and co-founded with Isaia Napoli in January of 2013.
He began his career in fashion at Vineyard Vines, where he was hired to answer phones in their customer service center. Within four months, he was managing the design of all men’s and women’s accessories and children’s clothing. In 2008, Ciongoli joined Ralph Lauren as a knitwear designer for their Rugby brand and remained there until he was tapped by American menswear designer Michael Bastian to be his deputy creative director. During his tenure with Bastian, the label received wide critical acclaim, including two nominations and one win for the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) Menswear Designer of the Year (2011 and 2013) and GQ’s Best New Designer of the Year in 2011.
