The lessons for us all:
“Never treat your customers as a commodity but as a community. To have a community you must have common passions, missions and values. You must believe and mean something to your customers. And you must re-establish and re-enforce that meaning in everything that you do.”
Rapha Performance Road wear is a sportswear and lifestyle brand focused on road bicycle racing, clothing and accessories. Rapha headquarters are in London. The Rapha Story is one of innovation.
Started in London in early 2004 the name Rapha was taken from the 1960s cycling team Rapha. It’s initial aim was to produce the highest performance and quality cycling wear available.
Clothing that also crossed the boundaries from sports performance to lifestyle. local UK production included some early Merino wool pieces and also leather gloves which are made in Somerset, England. Italian production focuses on stretch fabric and stretch garments such as shorts and tights.
Rapha clubs & clubhouses have become the physical focus of the Rapha cycling community. In recent years, Rapha has developed an international cycling club, in which members have access to exclusive club apparel and high-end bike rentals.
The Rapha Cycling Club (RCC) hosts rides and events at stores which have become known as Clubhouses. Each clubhouse consists of a retail space that sells Rapha apparel and accessories, as well as a cafe that serves fine coffee and food while screening live cycling racing. Clubhouses also play host to a number of cycling related events and art exhibitions throughout the year.
Rapha has also extended its community by helping to make cycling more accessible to minority groups and people with disabilities. It runs many community programmes & events, and funds equipment and training.
Visit the Rapha Clubhouse on Brewer Street, and online
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