JOURNAL
The Retro Wave collection started with a single reference image: a 1984 Roland Juno-106 synthesizer in dusty rose and chrome. We were obsessed with the contrast — something technically precise dressed in something visually soft.
Our design process for each collection starts analog. Sketches on paper, colour swatches pinned to a board, reference materials from fashion, music, and industrial design that have nothing to do with sport. We intentionally avoid looking at other paddle brands during this phase. We don't want to iterate on what exists. We want to create something that belongs somewhere else and ends up on a court.
The gradient fade on the Retro Wave face took 11 iterations to get right. The chrome edge detail was almost cut for cost reasons twice. We kept it both times. Some things are worth the extra work.
When the first production sample arrived, we put it on the court and won the point. That felt right.
February 10, 2026— CREATIVE
Designing the Retro Wave Collection
How 1980s synth aesthetics ended up on a carbon fiber pickleball paddle.