Alpine tundra, composed of low-lying shrubs and resilient grasses of muted colors, dots the landscape of the Dolomites, in the Alto Adige region of Italy. Drawing inspiration from this unique flora, occurring at high enough altitude at any given latitude, ROA’s Autumn Winter 2024 collection embarks on an exploration of the brand’s geographic roots in South Tyrol.
This kind of vegetation is as resilient as much as it is delicate: while its adaptations enable survival against harsh conditions like drying winds and severe cold, the apparent robustness of the alpine tundra is contrasted by its vulnerability to external interventions. The interplay of strength and fragility is reflected in ROA’s AW 2024 collection through its combinations of hard wearing fabrics with elements of lightness and versatility.
With this in mind, ROA’s AW 2024 marks the debut of the Sella, named after the Sella Group mountain range in the Dolomites, a new silhouette that radically embodies the brand’s call for a slower appreciation of nature—akin to wandering, or approach trekking by revisiting robust models with timeless designs.
Eriophorum latifolium, also known as cotton sedge, once used for wicking and lighting in lamps, flourishes in the alpine tundra, gracefully swaying to the wind’s whims. This plant served as catalyst for ROA’s own take on camouflage in the AW 2024 collection—its unhurried moves in the frosted landscape a reminder that the recovery of the alpine tundra from external intervention may span centuries.
The assortment of individual pieces comprising ROA’s AW 2024 collection aims to offer a support system that caters to both functionality and emotional capacity for wearers navigating increasingly challenging environments, whether amidst the alpine tundra, nestled in the valley below, or in the city just across it.
