Rifle Jeans

Rifle is an iconic Italian denim brand with a storied history dating back to 1958. Founded by brothers Giulio and Fiorenzo Fratini in Prato, Italy, the brand was born from their discovery of high-quality denim canvas in North Carolina, USA. The name 'Rifle' was inspired by the stenciled lettering on wooden crates used for transatlantic shipments between Italy and the U.S.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Rifle became a cultural phenomenon, especially in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, where the brand name became synonymous with the word 'jeans.' Despite its massive historical success, the company faced financial challenges in the 21st century. After a period of majority ownership by the Swiss group Kora Investments SA starting in 2017, the brand was acquired by VF Holding Srl (an Italian entity unrelated to the American VF Corp) in early 2020. However, the company was ultimately declared bankrupt by the Tribunal of Florence in October 2020. In 2022, the brand rights were reportedly acquired by the Italian company Cosmo Srl, which aims to revitalize the historic label.