La Passione

La Passione positioned itself in the competitive cycling apparel market as a digitally native, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand, offering premium, Italian-made cycling wear at accessible prices. The company was founded in 2015 by Giuliano Ragazzi, who served as CEO, and Yurika Marchetti, the COO. The brand name originated from a simple exchange where Ragazzi described their motivation as being "For passion." Their business model centered on bypassing traditional retail channels by selling exclusively through the company's website, a radical approach that allowed them to engage directly with customers and maintain control over their brand identity.

The founders aimed to merge high-performance materials with elegant, minimalist aesthetics, challenging the conventional look of cycling apparel. They sought to bring a fashion-forward sensibility to cycling, similar to sports like golf and skiing. This vision was brought to life through products handcrafted by skilled specialists in Northern Italy, using superior materials and techniques. A key part of their strategy was being customer-centric, utilizing feedback from their community to guide product development and refinement. One of their early successes was introducing dark blue bib shorts to the market, a color that became synonymous with the brand. Their product line included a range of apparel for both road and urban cycling, such as jerseys, jackets, and bib shorts.

Financially, La Passione demonstrated significant growth, securing a €7 million investment in July 2021 to be disbursed over four years. This funding round included original investors like Milano Investment Partner and new angel investors such as Alberto Grignolo, former COO of Yoox Net-a-Porter Group, and ex-professional cyclist Andrea Tonti. The capital was intended to boost brand awareness and facilitate expansion into new product lines, including those for urban mobility and spinning. By 2021, the company was shipping to over 41 countries and projected revenues exceeding €10 million. A major milestone was becoming the technical partner for the Movistar WorldTour team for the 2022 season, supplying kits for both the men's and women's squads. However, after nine years of operation, La Passione closed its online store at the end of 2024. The closure was attributed to a decision to "explore new opportunities," reflecting broader challenges in the D2C market, such as high customer acquisition costs and the complexities of scaling profitably.

Keywords: La Passione, cycling apparel, direct-to-consumer, D2C, Italian cycling wear, Giuliano Ragazzi, Yurika Marchetti, premium cycling kits, performance cycling, Movistar team sponsor, online cycling store, digital native vertical brand, minimalist cycling clothing, road cycling gear, urban cycling fashion, cycling bib shorts, customer-centric apparel, venture capital-backed, Made in Italy, sports apparel design