Interview with Castelli’s Steve Smith: Perfetto RoS Explained

Even as a child, Steve Smith spent his time on the bike — and put his pocket money toward a proper Castelli jersey. In the new millennium, the American-born Smith has become one of the key figures behind Castelli’s success and dominance in cycling. Castelli’s Global Brand Manager — and a decisive mind in the design process — explains in this interview what truly matters in the current Fall collection:

Perfetto perfected — what makes this fall edition of the Perfetto product line so special?

The Castelli Perfetto collection, which also includes our legendary Gabba RoS, has represented the very best of Castelli’s R&D since the line was introduced — especially for days with changeable weather. Development has always taken place in extremely close collaboration with our pro teams and athletes.

It’s no coincidence that “Perfetto” translates from Italian as “perfect.” It’s worth noting that the name wasn’t chosen by us but by our athletes.

For Fall/Winter 2022, the Perfetto collection has been revised and further improved in many areas.

There are small updates such as the new double zipper, which lets you open the tops from both the top and the bottom, a bit more room in the chest, more reflective details for added safety, and slightly larger triple rear pockets.

Ultimately, it’s another step toward meeting the line’s high ambitions: to deliver products rooted in the idea of performing in unstable, variable weather — protecting from moisture, ensuring breathability, providing warmth, and still delivering the aerodynamics you need.

What feedback prompted these changes at Castelli? Has cycling itself changed?

As mentioned, the updates stem from feedback from our pro athletes on the one hand, and from the responses we get from enthusiasts and amateur riders on the other. We’re grateful to have such a large network of passionate cyclists — including within the Castelli team.

Yes, cycling has changed — from gran fondo and sportive riders to WorldTour pros, everything has become more professional: nutrition, training control, recovery, as well as equipment and apparel.

Seeing how often Perfetto and Gabba pieces now appear at mass-participation events makes us proud and shows that this community pays close attention to what’s trending in the pro peloton.

Feedback is one thing. How do you actually turn riders’ wishes into garments that work?

It takes the right mix: the ability to listen, to understand concrete needs, and to judge whether something is a purely subjective impression or a factor with real potential. With those insights, the ideas go to our development team and its creative minds. They consider which materials and technologies suit the task, how the patterns should be cut, and where seams, pockets, seat pads, etc. need to be placed. Once the first viable prototypes are ready, they go to an internal Castelli test team and to athletes with strong body awareness who can communicate their impressions clearly and consistently.

Depending on complexity, this prototyping phase can take several months — or even years — before the finished garment reaches retail.

RoS — Castelli’s Rain or Shine principle: can you give us a technical look at how your products work so well across conditions?

Our strength isn’t “inventing” a specific technology for RoS products that must perform across weather conditions — it’s using materials and technologies from our partners to design products that meet the demands of our athletes, our customers, and our own standards. A good technology alone doesn’t make an outstanding product.

With RoS products, the priority is to design the best possible garments for dry conditions — because, let’s be honest, we all prefer riding dry to riding in rain. That means class-leading wind and cold protection with outstanding breathability. Through innovative materials and construction details we also reach a very high level of water protection. Rain or Shine products are not 100% waterproof, but they offer excellent protection for light rain and wet roads.

Which materials and technologies, in what weights and configurations, make the most sense where? How should the final product be cut? Where can seams be placed, …

Specifically for our Perfetto line: which jacket or top needs the warmer, more water-repellent GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER® 205 on the front, and which can use the thinner, lighter — yet also water-repellent — GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER® 203? How should the back panel be built? Do we need taped seams on the shoulders, for example, …

There are countless questions to answer. Getting them right takes many conversations with partners, many test rides, and more than a few hours in the lab.

Perfetto Unlimited: “Perfection without limits.” What can fans expect?

Exactly that: perfection without limits — from trail to gravel to farm road and tarmac.

Fans can look forward to proven Perfetto and RoS quality in seriously cool styles and designs. Our Unlimited line makes it possible to offer the Perfetto RoS 2 Jacket not only in solid colors but also in three printed designs, for both women and men.

Since we’re talking — anything to tease? A little appetizer for big news to come?

Let’s put it this way: fans of our bibs can already start looking forward to Spring 2023, and clubs and teams planning their next custom kit with Castelli can get a little excited too — that’s all we’ll say for now …

Thank you for the interview! We’re excited to see what’s next from Castelli — and for now, we’re enjoying Perfetto RoS.

Demand among fans and female riders, however, is very high. This year the organizer of the men’s edition has bowed to the pressure, so after a 13-year break there will finally be a Tour de France Femmes again — officially counted as the “first edition.”

The women’s race will last 8 days and will start on the same day the men’s version finishes. On the Champs-Élysées, fans can watch the start of the women’s race and then the men’s finale. The winner’s prize money of €250,000 is the highest on offer at a women’s cycling event this year — but of course it’s really about earning the legendary yellow jersey. The classification jerseys are the same in both editions.