Founded in 2013 by Matt LoDolce, Kevin Hubbard, and Everett Waddell, Richmond-based Rhoback aimed to inject some East Coast prep into the often-bland activewear market. The trio’s lighthearted spoofs of elite school themes resonated with customers seeking athleisure, conveying a bit more personality and style.

Yet despite the playful irreverence, Rhoback’s founding team took the performance aspect just as seriously as larger competitors. LoDolce’s background developing innovative fabrics and technical attire for NFL and Olympics teams transferred into highly specialized designs spanning shorts to hoodies ready for intense training or competitions. Initial novelty served to bring customers in, but best-in-class quality materials and construction have proven instrumental behind Rhoback’s subsequent growth and loyal following.

After early traction within college towns, the DTC fitness brand expanded beyond tongue-in-cheek collegiate homages into broader lifestyle categories. Backed by LoDolce’s high-performance design experience, Rhoback successfully stretched into gear for golf, cycling, and water sports, and versatile tops suitable for happy hours or dressier occasions. This expanded range retains the brand’s blend of irreverent East Coast inspiration mixed with West Coast health enthusiasms and uncompromising quality.

Extending across performance needs from intense training to relaxed weekends, Rhoback ensures even basics like joggers or pullovers integrate technical fabrics not found in casual competitors. Every category includes pieces marrying the brand’s casual sensibility behind playfully coded style names with innovations minimizing odor, moisture, and weight. Yet the offerings remain approachable for all fitness levels rather than intimidating hardcore-only attire.

It’s a balancing act between four key pillars – quality, comfort, style, and accessibility – not easily achieved but steadily mastered across each new Rhoback collection. Nearly a decade after its founding, the brand has matured beyond initial novelty while retaining its vibrant and distinctly East Coast-inspired heart.