Our Story...

In the late 1930’s. Our great grandfather J.W. “Buster” Ferguson, Sr. took $500 he saved and purchased his first Buy Boat in order to buy oysters on the Rappahannock River. After a few years of working as a commercial waterman, Buster started J.W. Ferguson Seafood Co. Inc in Remlik, VA in the early 1940’s and eventually became one of, if not the largest oyster shucking and packing plants on the east coast of the United States.

The seafood industry runs deep in our family, so do the stories of the men and women who worked the waters not just in Middlesex County, VA but throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay region!

This clothing line is dedicated to our family past and present who worked on or are still working the water. It is dedicated to all these hard working individuals out there braving the elements day in and day out to make sure we all get to enjoy the wonderful seafood we love so much! The watermen/women, who risk their lives to dredge an oyster or pull a crab pot every day. The ones pulling nets and sorting out fish. The men and women who work tirelessly and are paid very little for their efforts. These folks are tough and salt of the earth. They are covered with stinging nettles in the hot summer sun, pulling crab pots and being bitten for hours while culling their crabs. Their work platform consist of a moving vessel being tossed about the seas and whatever Mother Nature throws at them daily. They should be respected and therefore Rappanna Clothing Co. was born.

It is with love and respect that we at Rappanna Clothing Co. share our heritage with you. Whether you are a watermen/women or whether you have no idea at all about where or how those oysters you love eating so much were harvested. We want to share our local slang! Our beautiful images and our families with you! We strive to tell our stories whether it be from our boats or standing on a dock at a cocktail party. Sitting in a duck blind in a frozen marsh or strapped in a fighting chair reeling in a big Blue Marlin. Our goal is to share our region with you!

Finally, we hope you enjoy our quality and comfort. Our laid back style with meaning! It’s a great undertaking and we hope you feel proud to be a part of it all!

We gratefully thank ya’ll,
Benjamin