THE STORY BEHIND THE BRAND RONNEL
From the Andes, about 2,800 meters above sea level, in the Andean town of Tabacundo, a group of visionaries and among them José Cevallos, begin the migration of toquilla straw, in the form of the most elegant and fine hat to become the Ideal complement to good dress.
This is how José Cevallos arrives in Havana in the second decade of the last century.
100 years later, fashion brings its toquilla straw hat back to its catwalks and makes it available to boutiques around the world.
The descendants of José Cevallos (grandson and great-grandchildren) take the head and continue the brand development.
Robert Cevallos with his children Nelson and Roberto proudly continue the family legacy initiated by their grandfather José.
Founded by brothers Roberto and Nelson Cevallos Beltran in 2012, RONNEL has made a name for itself among the fashion forward in Russia.
From Ecuador to Russia...
It all started when Nelson, who moved to Russia in 2012, asked his brother Javier to send him handmade hats from Ecuador. They were an immediate success: young Russians fell in love with the toquilla straw hats.
The Cevallos Beltran brothers’ designs evolved alongside Moscow's spring/summer fashion trends. After developing a relationship with designers and showcasing their work on the runway, the two entrepreneurs successfully positioned Ronnel as Russia's gold standard for luxury hats.
Ronnel has made a name for itself among influencers, actors, models and politicians. Currently present in Europe and Canada, the brand will soon be coming to the Middle East.
...And now in North America
Carmelita Beltran, cousin of the Beltran brothers, has been at the helm of RONNEL Canada since 2018. Hailing from Peru and with fifteen years’ experience in e-commerce, Carmelita is passionate about fashion and always up on the latest fashion trends. She is delighted to be able to bring these unique, luxury fair-trade hats to the Canadian market.
RONNEL hatmakers weave 9 to 35 straws per inch to produce handmade pieces of the highest quality.
Our brand is proud to work with the Ecuadorian artisans to bring their straw hats to the international fashion world while highlighting the traditional art of this Ecuadorian community.
