Have you seen Little Rok? They are a great swimwear company that has some fun suits for the geek in all of us! We got a chance to talk to Rocco, the owner, about the brand.
Tell us how you combined your love of comics and bodybuilding and mixed it the world of designing clothes, specifically swimwear?
Since I was a little boy I loved drawing and also reading all kinds of comic books. When I’ve started working in the fashion industry, many years ago, I’ve put into practice my qualities as an illustrator to create and personalized some of the graphics of the new coming collections until, back in 2012, I finally started my own line Little Rok. I’ve realized that there are only a few lines out there that put together the world of superheroes and fashion that still allows you to feel comfortable and sexy and that’s why I decided to focus on swimwear.
You have two of my favorite swimwear, and made my geek side very happy, with the My Swim Cap and Star what was the inspiration? Who are your favorite comic characters?
It all started as a joke when I draw for a friend of mine a sort of my own reinterpretation of one of his favorites superheroes. I pictured this character with sportswear and sneakers giving him this way a newer and fresher look, and everybody loved it. I personally don’t have a favorite one myself, but what really fascinates me is the fact that undercover they are all normale people with normal lives but with superpowers.
What is the inspires you to take something from comics and put it down as a design?
I love comics because is like living in a fictional and fantastical world but with real people. For many years, I’ve followed the work of some of the most famous cartoonist out there, but only when I personally met Claudio Castellini, an Italian artist now working and living in the US, I’ve realized that I wanted to keep drawing superheroes and also keep working in the fashion industry. He was my true inspiration.
The Cap and Star are not the only pairs you are known for, tell us us about the “Huge” character. What was the inspiration? How popular has he become in the world of bodybuilding?
The “Huge” character was born from the idea of creating a superhero from the real and everyday life. A real man, in this case a bodybuilder, who cares about the way he looks and trains everyday harder and harder to always becoming bigger and more powerful. This way, he inspires people from all ages to become like him, not only physically but also mentally showing then that with determination and hard work anyone could achieve their goals.
The swimwear was the first thing that caught my eye. The Star picture made me stop and take notice. But you do things other than swim. Can you tell us about your other clothing you make?
Little Rok has a wide range of T-shirts, tank-tops, shorts, and sweaters made with different types of fabrics from cotton to mesh fabric, and also with different styles like the “raw edge cut” which I’ve noticed people like it a lot. Basically, a line for people who prefer a more sporty and casual look, and also for those who like to dress comfortable and fashionable while doing their physical activities.
Do you have any new comic collections coming out soon?
Yes, soon the new collection will come out with lots of cool and interesting characters. I’ve designed new t-shirts and tank-tops with the “My Star” graphic on it which now sort of represents Little Rok. New swimsuits are coming, and last but not least I’m launching this year a limited edition of the “BOOM” swimwear that was a huge success last year, not only among costumers but also among other designers from across the ocean.
Find them on the net at http://www.littlerokoriginal.com
