STORY OF A LOVE STORY

That morning I woke up to the sound of rain.

It was one of those mornings where you wouldn't leave your bed for anything in the world.

Raindrops on the window have a powerful magnetic effect.

With one eye open and one closed and with the mark of the pillow on my face I got up.

A few days earlier I had received a phone call from Chiara who told me about a film festival that, together with other crazy visionaries , they had set up in Sestri Levante.

He asks me if I want to collaborate with the brand; when I sense that there is something out of the ordinary I can't resist and decide I want to understand better.

The rain had stopped falling and that morning I took my bike and pedaled towards their office.

A beautiful sun had risen.

I lean the bike against the wall and ring the bell.
The door opens and two giant smiles appear in front of me: they are those of Vito and Chiara.

2 MAGICAL MINUTES

I enter and while Vito prepares a coffee we sit around a table.

They begin to tell me about the Riviera International Film Festival , about their challenge to that superficiality that has invaded the world of cinema, they talk to me about a rebellious concept against the grain, about an independent event dedicated to young people.

They talk to me about sustainability and about wanting to grow this project in Sestri Levante, trying to bring a breath of fresh air to our territory.

2 minutes.

120 seconds were enough for me to answer “ YES!” .

THE FESTIVAL

Many extraordinary characters arrive in Sestri Levante every year, bringing a wave of energy, culture and awareness that I struggle to describe to you in words.

The list would be very long; I recommend you take a look at their site to better understand what I'm talking about.

Click HERE to find out.

It is an independent and unconventional event that is growing exponentially, maintaining a very high human side, which is rare when it comes to events of this type.

A JOURNEY CALLED "DEFEUA for RIFF"

When I created Defeua ^® in 2016 I wanted it to be a sustainable brand, but above all I wanted it to be a brand capable of going against the superficiality of the fashion system, with the ambitious goal of generating awareness.

I think you can understand now why it only took me 2 minutes to say that “YES”; it was like seeing yourself in the mirror, only with a different background.

From that day a journey together began, made up of rebellious and visionary ideas, dreams, emotions, and obviously cinema.

A journey built on great values ​​that with Defeua ^® I decided to tell through a truly special collection.

Every year it is a thrill to present it and see it walking around worn by so many people, both during the festival and after.

In the 2024 edition, to celebrate the DANDELION t-shirt, we organized a party in our store where we combined a crazy DJ set with an interactive artistic performance together with the American street artist Joe Dreher aka JOEKINGATL

THE COLLECTION

I waited until the last minute to present the collection to you, because I wanted you to understand the reasons that led me to love this event so much.

But now I don't want to make you wait any longer; take 2 minutes to discover the entire collection dedicated to RIFF.

Read the history and meaning of each graphic and immerse yourself in this journey with us, waiting for the RIFF 2025 t-shirt.

Trust me, 120 seconds can change things.