RD1 Clothing Turns 4 This Bank Holiday Weekend!
Four years ago this weekend, we opened the doors of a little independent menswear shop on Havelock Road in Hastings. Since then it has been four years of proper clobber, plenty of laughs and a few challenges. Most importantly, it has been four years of you lot backing us every step of the way. We started with one shop in Hastings, and now we send parcels across the UK and abroad.
It feels right that our birthday lands on the August bank holiday, the last long weekend of summer. Beer garden, barbecue, seafront or the football, this is the weekend to wear it proud. And with over 200 new pieces just landed, there has never been a better time to sort your next outfit.
Some of the brilliant customers who have backed us over the last four years.
Four Years of RD1: Mickey's Story
Rewind a few years and RD1 was nothing more than a dream. Owner Mickey was a part-time shop assistant with dyslexia and a poor academic record. He had no real idea what he was going to do with his life. Tell his 16-year-old self he would own a menswear store, and he would have laughed.
Opening the shop was a proper leap of faith just after Covid. Mickey had to persuade the industry to take a chance on him. Family and pals put in long days and nights to get the shop ready. The going rate for the job was kebabs and beers. For the first six months, he worked evenings as a delivery driver to pay the bills.
Four years on, RD1 is still here and still growing. There are no investors behind us, just a little independent shop in Hastings. Mickey remains one of the youngest independent menswear owners in the industry. In his words, someone has to keep proper clobber and proper service alive for the next generation.
The last month alone has been mental, in the best way. New team members have joined, and customers have visited from all over the UK. There have been collaborations with brands, artists and the music industry. And enough new season stock has arrived to make Mickey slightly terrified.
Four Years of Highlights
A birthday is a decent excuse to look back at a few proud moments. Two collaborations stand out above the rest, and both say a lot about what RD1 is built on. Football, music and proper British culture, all stitched into clobber you can actually wear.
The RD1 x Weekend Offender Dealers tee. Mickey first started wearing Weekend Offender more than 15 years ago. So teaming up with them for RD1's first-ever brand collaboration meant everything. He knew exactly what to bring back: the iconic Dealers tee. His pitch to the WO team was simple: "Let's dig out the original design and do it justice."
After a proper rummage through the archives, the original design was found. Mickey gave it a fresh twist, reissuing it in RD1's signature black and amber. The front carries a famous lyric from Primal Scream's Rocks, in tribute to 90s music. The limited run sold out, and a restock is on the cards.
The RD1 x NME 1990 Archive tee. This summer we released our first own-brand archive collab, and it is a proper piece of history. The RD1 1990 NME Cover Archive T-Shirt reproduces the legendary NME cover shot by rock photographer Kevin Cummins. The image brought together England footballer John Barnes and New Order frontman Bernard Sumner during Italia '90. Football and music, side by side, in one iconic photograph.
"This image says everything about what RD1 is about," says Mickey. "Football, music, British culture, all of it in one shot." The tee comes in White and French Navy on 100% organic cotton, in sizes S to 4XL. It is strictly limited edition, so grab one while stock lasts.
The Plan for Year Five
The plan for the next year is simple. Get the best quality clobber we can find, stay humble and work hard. Give everyone a bloody good service, own our mistakes and always try our best. That is what RD1 has been about from day one, and it is not changing.
To family, pals, industry partners, the team and every customer who has stuck by us: thank you. You lot keep choosing us and coming back, so we must be doing something right. Four years down, and RD1 is only getting started. Cheers!
New In for the Long Weekend
If you are marking the bank holiday with something fresh, the new arrivals rail is stacked. We have just taken huge deliveries from Sergio Tacchini, Fila Vintage, Original Penguin and Lyle & Scott. Here are a few favourites that have just landed.
Sergio Tacchini: The 60th Anniversary Year Rolls On
Sergio Tacchini's 60th anniversary celebrations have delivered some of the best gear the brand has produced in years. The latest drop has just hit our rails, with 21 new Tacchini pieces live right now. The New Supermac Polo (£45) leads the way, a proper heritage court polo with retro panelling. It also comes in White/Navy/Princess Blue and Navy/Peyote.
If track tops are more your thing, the Sarto Tape Track Top in Navy (£75) is a beauty. Classic Tacchini taping, clean navy base, and it works with jeans or joggers. The brand has even branched into denim, with the Forza Jeans in Indigo Wash (£75) new in. Add the Davide Zip Polo (£50) and the Grello Crew Neck Tee (£30) and you have a full Tacchini fit.
Fila Vintage: Retro Sportswear Done Right
The retro sportswear heads are spoilt this month, with 19 new Fila Vintage pieces on the rails. Headlining the drop is the Gold Soren Polo With Tipping in Gunmetal (£45). It also comes in White and Black, all with that classic tipped collar. Few brands carry more 80s casual heritage than Fila, and this one wears it well.
Original Penguin: Fresh Heritage Styles
Original Penguin has just landed 11 new styles, and they are proper autumn-ready pieces. The Piped Track Top in Dark Sapphire (£95) is the pick of the bunch. Behind it sits the Jacquard Button Through Polo (£80) and the Links Stitch Quarter Zip (£75). The quarter zip also comes in Birch for a lighter look.
Penguin has been a clean heritage staple since 1955, and these new arrivals show why. Smart enough for a night out, casual enough for the sofa, they cover most bases. If you like your gear understated with a bit of history, start here.
Lyle & Scott: The Golden Eagle Lands Again
Lyle & Scott arrives with 20 new pieces, all wearing the famous golden eagle. Top of the pile is the 4 Pockets Blouson Jacket in Black Ice (£150), a sharp bit of outerwear for the season turn. It also comes in Smoke Olive if you prefer an earthier tone.
The knitwear is where Lyle & Scott really shows off, though. The new Cotton Merino Argyle Jumper (£105) brings the classic diamond pattern back for autumn. Add the Tipped Long Sleeve Polo in Navy/White (£70) or a Plain Tee (£30) underneath. That is a full fit sorted from one delivery.
Weekend Offender: The Biggest Drop of the Lot
Weekend Offender is our biggest new-in delivery of all, with 41 fresh pieces live. It is not just jackets either, with new tees, sweatshirts and caps landing alongside the outerwear. If WO is your brand, this is the restock you have been waiting for.
The pick of the outerwear is the Technician Fleece Lined Jacket in Lagoon Blue. It pairs a lightweight outer with a warm fleece lining, so it earns its place from the first cold snap onwards. Full zip fastening, secure front pockets and signature WO branding keep it practical. It also comes in Ash Grey if a bold blue is not your thing.
Off the hanger, the Kraviz Quarter Zip Sweatshirt in Black is the standout. It is built from 370gsm brushback fleece in 100% combed cotton. A concealed quarter zip, funnel neck and detachable WO sleeve badge give it a sharper finish. It also comes in Cement and Calcium, with the lighter Sidi Quarter Zip in Smokey as an alternative.
And AW26 Is on the Way
This is only the start of the autumn story. Fresh AW26 drops from the top football casual brands are arriving over the coming weeks. The best way to see them first is our daily TikTok live at 5PM. We show every new drop on camera, answer questions and run exclusive flash deals for viewers.
Make a Weekend of It
However you spend the bank holiday, thank you for four brilliant years. If you are local, come and see us at 41 Havelock Road in Hastings and say hello. If you are ordering online, everything ships with Royal Mail Tracked 24 or 48. UK delivery is free on orders over £75, and we stock sizes up to 4XL.
Here's to year five. Cheers!