Ruffini family, owner of Moncler, buys stake in Danish cycling brand Pas Normal Studios

After uber-cool Milanese label The Attico, Italian investment firm Archive has set its sights on Danish cycling apparel brand Pas Normal Studios. Archive is led by Pietro Ruffini, son of Remo Ruffini, the CEO and majority shareholder of down jacket label Moncler. Archive is controlled by Ou(r) Group, one of the Ruffini family’s two holding companies, and has invested in the Danish brand specialised in performance cycling apparel.

Archive has not disclosed the value of transaction nor the size of the stake, simply calling the deal a “strategic partnership.” In a press release, it also said it has carried out the operation in order to “support the brand in boosting its positioning and international expansion effort.” Pas Normal Studios was founded in 2014 in Copenhagen by Peter Lange and Karl-Oskar Olsen. It is a sportswear brand distinctive for its contemporary vibe, combining high-tech expertise with innovative design.

In a few years, the brand has caught the eye with its modern approach to cycling gear, notably by developing ad hoc collaborations, like it did last year with French sport apparel and equipment brand Salomon. Pas Normal Studios is distributed via seven directly owned stores worldwide – in Copenhagen, Munich, Mallorca, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore and Taipei – an e-shop, and a large number of multibrand stores specialised in sport and cycling.

“Over the past nine years, we grew from a successful start-up to a successful business, challenging the existing cycling market by focusing on creative design, uncompromising functionality, and a diverse global community,” said in a press release CEO Peter Lange and managing director and head of design Karl-Oskar Olsen.

“Pas Normal Studios is an example of strong entrepreneurial vision that has been able to successfully evolve the brand beyond the sector’s traditional codes,” said Pietro Ruffini. Since 2018, Archive has bought a 49% stake in The Attico, and has also invested in the restaurant business, acquiring a 40% stake in the Langosteria Holding group and a 47.5% stake in Neapolitan pizzeria Concettina ai Tre Santi.