Rip Curl Logo PNG
Despite its rather long history, the Rip Curl brand continues to stay afloat, maintaining its independence, unlike its direct competitors Quicksilver and Billabong, which were bought by Boardriders Corporation. Surfing competitions are held under the brand’s auspices, and the brand’s logo is recognized worldwide. The Rip Curl logo has gone a long way from a heavy, difficult-to-make-out design to the stylish, clean, and meaningful look it has today.
Meaning and history
Rip Curl, established in 1969 by Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer, emerged as a pivotal force in the surfing industry. Initially crafting surfboards, the company swiftly transitioned into designing and manufacturing high-quality wetsuits, revolutionizing the market with their innovative neoprene technology. Their commitment to innovation led to the development of groundbreaking products such as the Rip Curl Search GPS watch, which provides surfers with real-time data on their sessions.
Throughout its history, Rip Curl has continually pushed the boundaries of surfing apparel and technology. The brand’s dedication to supporting professional surfing events, including the iconic Rip Curl Pro, solidified its status as a cornerstone of the surfing community. Today, Rip Curl stands as a global leader in surfwear, offering a comprehensive range of products from wetsuits and boardshorts to apparel and accessories. With a strong presence in over 60 countries, Rip Curl continues to embody the spirit of adventure and exploration that defines the surfing lifestyle.
What is Rip Curl?
A pioneering force in surfwear, Rip Curl epitomizes the fusion of innovation and passion within the surfing community. Established in 1969, the company has become synonymous with quality wetsuits, apparel, and accessories, catering to surfers worldwide. With its roots deeply embedded in the surfing culture of Torquay, Australia, Rip Curl embodies the spirit of adventure and exploration.
1969 – 2000’s
As the brand was growing, the design forces behind it had to make the brand identity friendlier and easier to grasp. The creative search resulted in the wordmark “Rip Curl” in a very simple, yet unique type. The rainbow treatment made it distinctive.
The second interpretation of the rainbow theme looked brighter, more dynamic and distinctive. There was more depth to it, too.
This is when the iconic wave was born. Originally, the wave was placed inside a rhomboid, while the company name could be seen above. The wordmark looked almost the same as in the previous version, except for the color (this logo was black-and-white).
The designers colored the logo in two shades of blue leaving white and black as additional colors.
2000’s – 2004
The Rip Curl logo combines bold text with a graphic element. The text features the brand name “Rip Curl” in a clean, sans-serif font. “Rip Curl” is written in black, thick letters.
To the left of the text sits a distinct graphic element. It appears to be a stylized wave depicted in white in the red rectangle. The wave curves upwards and curls inwards, resembling the crest of a breaking wave. The bottom tip of the wave seems to seamlessly connect with the letter “R” in “Rip,” further reinforcing the association with surfing.
2004 – 2022
The Rip Curl logo features bold black lettering for the words “Rip Curl,” contrasted against a bright red emblem. Both words use a clean, no-frills font without decorative flourishes. The red curl creates a sense of movement and energy, suggesting the power of a wave about to break.
2022 – now
The Rip Curl logo is a simple yet effective design that is easily recognizable. It reflects the essence of the Rip Curl brand, which positions itself as active and dynamic. The logo font is bold, sans-serif, with a slightly condensed style. This gives it a sense of strength and stability. The logo color scheme is minimalist: black and white. The black letters contrast with the white background, making the logo clear and legible. The name “Rip Curl” is written on one line, all letters are the same height and width. The emblem at the end of the letter is the curved line, which is the image of waves.
Font and color
The bold uppercase lettering for the new Rip Curl logo is set in a custom sans-serif typeface, where the straight cuts and thick stable bars are balanced by interesting softened elements in both capitals “R”s. This designer font is based on one of the commercial sans-serifs, such as Point Panther or Drystick Geo Grotesk, but due to the modified shapes of the “R”s it looks somewhat new and cool.
As for the color palette of the Rip Curl visual identity, with the latest redesign, the brand has come to the most laconic and minimalistic black-and-white. The new scheme is all about confidence and determination.
