ROCK & REPUBLIC PUMPS UP THE VOLUME; L.A.'S SLICKEST DENIM BRAND SET TO DEBUT FREESTANDING STORES, SHOES AND EYEWEAR AS IT PREPARES FOR A PUBLIC OFFERING.

Daily News Record, May, 2006 by Lipke, David

Byline: DAVID LIPKE

NEW YORK - To succeed in the hyper-competitive world that is the L.A. denim industry, it takes a fair amount of confidence and cojones. But Rock & Republic founder Michael Ball has taken that swaggering attitude to a new level of braggadocio.

"We have a 15-year plan to literally dominate our market," Ball boasted in an interview last week of his four-year-old company, whose brand appeal is that it's "just so [expletive] cool." He disdains competitors who have lowered prices, explaining, "If you want Rock, you have to pay top dollar-you have to pay to be in the VIP section." And he isn't shy about bad-mouthing the competition either, calling True Religion founder Jeff Lubell a "hack out to make a fast buck with ugly jeans." ...