Renzo Rosso (born 1955) is an Italian entrepreneur and a businessman. He is the founder of Diesel and the president of OTB Group, the parent company of Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf, Jil Sander. In 2022, Forbes estimated his net worth to be US$3.6 billion.
Rosso dropped out of the University of Venice in 1975 and began to work as Production Manager at Moltex, a local clothing manufacturer that produced trousers for various Italian clothing labels. Moltex's parent company, the Genius Group, was run by Adriano Goldschmied who would eventually become Rosso's mentor and future business partner. In 1977, having increased the company's production, Rosso wanted to leave and start a new business on his own. However, Goldschmied convinced Rosso to stay by offering him a 40% stake in Moltex and by agreeing to form a new company together, thus forming Diesel. Following the new partnership, Rosso became a shareholder of the Genius Group, which gathered brands such as Replay, King Jeans, Viavai, and Goldie.
The brand name Diesel was chosen because 'diesel' was considered to be the 'alternative fuel' in the oil crisis, and Rosso and Goldschmied liked the idea of their brand being perceived as an alternative jeans brand in contrast to the prevalent casual wear brands. Furthermore, since the word was an international term pronounced equally all over the world, it appealed to Rosso's view that the global fashion market was not segmented by national borders, but by people's lifestyles. In 2004, CNN described Diesel as "the first brand to believe truly in the global village and to embrace it with open arms." In an article by The NY Times in August 2013, it was estimated that Diesel had sold more than 100,000,000 pairs of jeans since 1978.
In 1985 Rosso took complete control of the company, by trading his shares in the Genius Group, which was then the parent company of Diesel, for Goldschmied's remaining shares in Diesel. Following the launch of Diesel Kid the year prior, at the time called Dieselito, sales of the Diesel-branded clothing had by that point reached about $5 million annually. Wanting to focus on denim, Rosso began experimenting with different ways of treating the fabric with stones and washes. Then, after choosing a team of like-minded designers in the late 1980s, the company began a period of growth and expansion.
Diesel opened large flagship stores in New York City, San Francisco, Rome, and London, and began to open other mono-brand stores for Diesel and launched its website.
In the early 2000s, as Rosso began investing in other fashion designers and companies, he emerging as a major player in the world of fashion. In 2000, Rosso made his first acquisition when he purchased Staff International. The growth of OTB led to media often comparing Rosso to French businessmen Bernard Arnault and François Pinault, the chairmen of the LVMH and Kering conglomerates respectively, who own several of the world's leading luxury brands. In an interview with the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera in April 2011, Rosso stated that he never intended to follow their route, but that he instead wanted to build a conglomerate that is "democratic" and alternative. "I have great respect for luxury, a sector that is doing very well, but it is too conservative. My dream, however, is to be a meeting point for the brands of new generations, who will be future leaders."
Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf said "Rosso is unique, a businessman who is also creative and would not interfere with our aesthetic and quality-control. He is the perfect fit".
Currently, the group has shares of the Diesel, Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf, Jil Sander, Amiri brands, and controls Staff International and Brave Kid, manufacturers and distributors of several licensed fashion labels.
Staff International was acquired by Renzo Rosso in October 2000.
Staff International had gained a reputation in the prêt-a-porter arena, enabling it to work for designers and brands such as Karl Lagerfeld, Emanuel Ungaro, Valentino, Costume National, Clements Ribeiro and Missoni, among others. When Renzo Rosso acquired Staff International, the company was already partnering with Martin Margiela on the production of its collections.
Today, the company distributes licensed brands such as Maison Margiela, Marni, Dsquared2, Just Cavalli and Koché.
In 2002 Rosso purchased the majority of the fashion house Maison Margiela.
In an interview with Women's Wear Daily in 2004, Rosso explained his admiration for Maison Margiela: "It's about being unique, and it appeals to people with strong personalities who don't want to follow the crowd." Following an investment phase by Rosso to improve production and general management, by 2005 Maison Margiela had increased its sales to €30 million, compared to €15 million in 2002. In 2008 the company showed profitability for the first time since the acquisition, reaching sales above €60 million.
In July 2008, Rosso purchased the majority of the stakes of Viktor & Rolf. Following the deal, Rolf Snoeren said to The New York Times "We have high ambitions. We talked for two years because it is such an important step. We wanted to make sure we marry the right partner. Renzo understands creativity and has the vision and power to make a success."
In 1984 Renzo Rosso created Dieselito, a line of children's wear. In 1999, the line became Diesel Kid, and a few years after a stand-alone company. It became Brave Kid in 2012.
Other investments and ventures
Rosso in 1996 became the owner of the Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team, the main football club in the city of Bassano del Grappa where he resides. He led the club until June 2018, leading it to achieve the most important results in its history, winning a Serie D championship in 2005, a promotion to Serie C, a Serie C Italian Cup in the 2008/2009 season and a Lega Pro Seconda Divisione championship Lega Pro Seconda Divisione with the Supercoppa di Lega di Seconda Divisione 2013/2014 season. The team came close to promotion to Serie B several times, also reaching a playoff final in the 2014/2015 season.
Following the bankruptcy of the historically renowned Vicenza Calcio soccer team, Renzo Rosso took over the business unit through its liquidation auction and formalized its purchase on June 18, 2018.