Looking back at some of Rome’s classic ads and graphics over the years, that same rebel aesthetic permeates everything, while phrases like ‘voices of dissent’, ‘kids on shred’ and ‘corrosion of the corporate’ are peppered through their catalogues. For Stillman, it’s representative of “a DIY ethos – that scrappy East Coast ‘born of ice’ attitude.” The original thinking behind the SDS, he explains, “was really about telling the story of people who made snowboarding their life’s work. The idea is to listen to their voices to help design the product and set the course for the brand. From events and visuals to just… trying to be disruptive in the sense of being true to snowboarding.”

“Rome OGs Josh Reid and Paul Maravetz weren’t allowed to built their own boards for a couple of years after leaving the (ahem) other Vermont-based factory”

Central to this crusade has been the rider team – both the pros and Rome’s extensive ‘AmArmy’. The first recruits back in the day were Matt Downey, Jonaven Moore, Jesse Fox, and Gregg Wilson, soon followed by stalwarts like Marie-France Roy (MFR), Laurent-Nicholas Paquin (LNP) and Will Lavigne. Did these initial ambassadors have something in common?

“I always saw the early group of riders as a crew who prioritised snowboarding above all else,” replies Stillman. “Riders with their own unique take on how things could actually be ridden, or what they wore or what terrain they wanted to ride. A mixture of passion, personality and talent, I suppose.” Looking at a current roster that includes the likes of Stale Sandbech, Rene Rinnekangas and Madison Blackley, it’s hard to disagree with his assessment that “we still haven’t strayed too far from that framework.”

It’s all too easy, when celebrating the 20th birthday of a brand like Rome, to wallow in nostalgia. God knows they’ve got a stacked highlight reel (“Filming and releasing Any Means, No Correct Way and The Shred Remains,” says Stillman when pushed to name a few of his own favourite moments. Then [deep breath]: “MFR winning Transworld rider of the year and video part of the year; winning the Transworld Team Shootout; Luke getting the cover of Snowboarder Mag on the Agent; Bjorn getting the cover of the TWS Photo annual (also on an Agent); the entire scope of the 12 Months project, then following it up with the Find Snowboarding series; Stale getting silver at the Sochi winter Olympics; Stale, Rene and Ozzy winning the Dew Tour Team Challenge; Madison winning Queen of Corbet’s Couloir; Rene winning Real Snow Street – the list goes on and on and on.”)

“SDS was really about telling the story of people who made snowboarding their life’s work”

But the thing is, Rome’s never been a brand that spends much time focusing on the past. Its ethos is to stay true to snowboarding’s roots, sure, but the priority is to give a platform to current riders and push the culture as it exists RIGHT NOW. In fact the secret to Rome’s longevity, argues Stillman, lies in the constantly evolving energy of the collective. “The idea behind the SDS has always been that it’s bigger than one rider, one contest win or one product.”

So where does the fabled Syndicate go from here? What do the next 20 years hold for Rome? “We want to go snowboarding!” laughs Stillman. “All Ways Down till the edges rust out, the laces rip and the last patch of snow melts. Since 2001 till infinity.”

Amen to that.