Michael Ball

Michael Ball is CEO and Head Designer of Rock & Republic. The company filed for bankruptcy in April of 2010.

A native of Southern California, Ball discovered cycling at a young age and by the late 80s had become one of the fastest and most aggressive cyclists on the professional circuit. During his racing days, Ball created race-day wear for his team. After an unfortunate racing crash put his competitive days on hold, Ball forged a partnership with Xerox that launched the technology giant into the fashion business.

After designing a killer pair of jeans for his girlfriend, Ball launched Rock & Republic in 2002. The first collection combined an edgy, rebellious style with sophisticated femininity. Today, the Rock & Republic brand is still synonymous with the rock and roll lifestyle and a quality previously absent from the market. With Ball at the helm, Rock & Republic is now a global fashion powerhouse with multiple collections sold in eighty-six countries.

Ball returned to his lifelong passion for cycling in 2007 with the formation of Rock Racing, a professional team of champion racers that has put the "edge" back in cycling. Ever the pioneer, Ball formed a groundbreaking charitable division called Rock the Cure in the same year. Dedicated to making a significant difference in the fight against life-threatening diseases, Rock the Cure uniquely dedicates an incredible 100% of its profits to its beneficiaries.

Ball received several honors in 2007 including induction into the CFDA, the Spirit of Life Award from City of Hope, and the Hollywood Style Award for Fashion Visionary.