Oarsome! Kit maker gets 50 clubs on board
A SPORTSWEAR business started in 2012 has now supplied 50 UK rowing clubs with its British-made kit and is planning to open its own factory in Sheffield.
Hugga, launched by Chris Vannozzi in Twickenham, South West London, specialises in rowing kit for universities, clubs and schools and has clothing made to order in the Midlands and Devon.
Vannozzi, 39, who started rowing at 13 and now coaches up-and-coming rowers in London, said: ‘I previously worked in promotions in magazines – Esquire, Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar. I got to the point where I wanted to start my own business and hit on the idea of rowing clothing.’
He said: ‘I went to a big company in Manchester that sells Lycra and it put us in touch with some small clothing manufacturers. The industry used to be huge in Britain, but in the past 20 to 25 years it has died right back. There are a number of talented clothing makers about, but they tend to be quite niche and small scale.
‘It took about six months to find the right quality of Lycra and materials, and the right manufacturers to work with.
‘I rowed and coached at Twickenham Rowing Club for a long time and the first piece of kit we sold was to club president Paul Davis.’
More recently Hugga has made hoodies and special rowing tops called zephyr tops for the GB Under-23 Women’s Eight, who will compete in Rotterdam at the World Championships this week.
Vannozzi said: ‘Our next plan is to start our own factory. We’re working really hard to try to get funding in place. When we get that together, the factory will open in Sheffield, which is where I went to university.
‘We’ve started looking at sites and we have quite good relationships with a number of people in the area. We’re over half way there.’