A glossary of terminology to help tell the RSRV story
Storytelling is an imperative part of the RSRV brand. Whether it's the visual stories told in forms, fabric, shapes, and colors, or the insights shared through editorial endeavors, we put great emphasis on narrative and documentation. Motorsports and design reside at the core of this storytelling. There are some common themes, terms, and references that tend to reappear throughout our narrative and we thought it might help to define some of them. Please find below, an initial glossary of terminology used to tell the RSRV story.
RSRV
The abbreviated version and most commonly used name of the Alpinestars Reserve apparel collection. The RSRV name itself is shorthand for exclusive, archival, or limited release. RSRV is a celebration of fashion and racing that reflects the heritage and legacy of Alpinestars, projected through a lens of creativity, imagination and culture.
Alpinestars
Alpinestars is a global leader in motorsports protective and performance apparel. Founded in Northern Italy in 1963, Alpinestars outfits athletes with a variety of protective, technical, and casual apparel from the intermittent enthusiast to the highest level of professional athlete. RSRV is a conceptual, design-driven, premium apparel derivative of the Alpinestars brand.
MotoGP
The most elite, competitive, technologically advanced class of motorcycle road racing in the world. This is Alpinestars’ proving ground. Alpinestars outfits many teams and riders on the MotoGP grid, providing state-of-the-art protective equipment, uniforms and racing support. Many RSRV pieces utilize technology, hardware and materials from MotoGP leather race suits.
Crashed Suits
As part of a commitment to the sport, Alpinestars supports MotoGP teams and athletes throughout every season. A team of Alpinestars Racing Services personnel attend every event in research, development and supportive capacities. When Alpinestars’ athletes crash or damage a race suit, the suit is recovered by the Racing Services team and returned to Alpinestars’ R&D facility in Asolo, Italy. The suits are thoroughly scrutinized and assessed, before being—depending on the extent of damage—either repaired or archived. Many of the RSRV pieces utilize materials that have been salvaged from the unrepairable crashed suits. The materials are often beautifully patinaed and damaged creating a pastiche of color, shape and form that tell harrowing tales of speed and performance.
Asolo
Asolo, often called the “Pearl of the Province of Treviso,” is a hilltop town in northern Italy’s Veneto region. It carries a rich history of craftsmanship, design and manufacturing. Asolo is home to the European headquarters of Alpinestars. The Alpinestars R&D facility is located in Asolo as are the MotoGP and Formula 1 Racing Services support divisions. While inspired by styles around the globe, most of the RSRV collection is designed in Asolo.
The Tech 10
The Alpinestars Tech 10 boot is arguably the most visible and most iconic boot in Motocross history. It has stood atop more podiums than any other boot in the sport. It is the latest iteration of a legacy of innovation, protection, comfort, and design that can be traced back to Alpinestars’ early years as a premium performance boot manufacturer. The Tech 10 legacy lives within each and every RSRV garment.
Hero Jacket
The Hero Jacket was one of Alpinestars’ first leather jackets. Introduced in the late 90s, the Hero represented a paradigm shift in leather jacket style, performance, and protection. It heralded what has now become one of Alpinestars’ most enduring legacies: protective motorcycle leather apparel. The Hero Jacket’s DNA can be found in a number of RSRV pieces. Many of the leather jackets that have graced recent RSRV collections draw inspiration from, or borrow styling cues directly from the Hero Jacket.
Reservists
The Reservists are the ambassadors who represent the RSRV ethos and help us explain RSRV to the world. From musicians and artists to athletes and icons, they are the individuals who blur the lines between art and racing and embody the RSRV intention. RSRV acknowledges and extends gratitude to these individuals for their craft, creativity, vision, and contributions to doing cool things and making people happy. Since day one, this collective of cultural signal boosters has flown the flag and repped the squad around the world. Salute.
