Introducing riva: From rose bay, with love

The campaign began with a simple idea: capture the feeling of arriving somewhere good. Shot from the water, it follows a journey to Riva in Rose Bay — a little piece of the Italian Riviera, shaped by long lunches, warm evenings and an effortless sense of dolce vita.

What’s the story behind the name Riva?

Riva came from the iconic Italian boats of the same name. They became an early reference for the restaurant — the polished mahogany, stainless steel, striped timber decking and that particular kind of mid-century Mediterranean glamour. You’ll find those details throughout the space, but never too literally.

Where did the idea for the campaign begin?

The campaign really started with the same references as the restaurant itself: old Italian summers, boating culture, vintage advertising and the glamour of the Riviera. I wanted to introduce Riva through that world rather than simply photograph a new restaurant. It was shaped by a handful of films I love — The Talented Mr. Ripley, Call Me by Your Name — where the landscape, light and feeling of a place become part of the story.

Why shoot the campaign from the harbour?

The idea was almost obvious: if the restaurant is named after an iconic Italian boat, why wouldn’t we find a Riva and shoot the campaign on the water? The restaurant sits above Rose Bay Marina, so arriving by boat connected the name, the setting and the story in the most natural way.

references

The campaign references came from long summer afternoons on the Italian coast, Sydney Harbour, faded holiday photographs and vintage advertisements. Together, they shaped a world for Riva in Rose Bay that feels sun-warmed, nostalgic and distinctly its own.

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How'd the italian riviera translate to rose bay?

We never wanted to recreate Italy in Sydney. The Italian Riviera gave us the references — the boats, old summer photography, colour and a certain nostalgia — while Rose Bay gave us the setting. Once you put those ideas against Sydney Harbour, it became its own thing: Italian in spirit, but very much grounded in where Riva actually is.

What were the details you kept coming back to?

It was more about creating a feeling than matching everything perfectly. We wanted the campaign to feel relaxed, sun-washed and a little nostalgic, with enough detail to suggest the Italian Riviera without recreating it too literally. The boat, the clothes, the light and the water all helped build that atmosphere, while the colours and materials of Riva — mahogany, stainless steel, washed blues, creams and terracotta — kept it connected to the venue.

Why was it important to tell Riva this way?

For me, a restaurant starts well before someone walks through the door. The campaign was a chance to build a world around Riva and give people a sense of its personality before they had even been there. Spending the day on Sydney Harbour, brought together so many of the references that had shaped the restaurant from the beginning — Italian summers, classic Riva boats, nostalgia and life by the water.

I think the best hospitality has a story you can feel without having to explain it. The film gave Riva that first chapter.

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