Dino Minichiello

Print advertisement for ONS undergarments , 1997

In 1996, Dino launched ONS, a label of designer men’s and women’s underwear.[1] Comprising brightly colored boxers, briefs and G-strings in fabrics like burnout velvet, stretch velour and imported silk, ONS was specifically designed and marketed as an alternative to more conservative underwear from Calvin Klein and Fruit of the Loom.

Designs featured reflective waistbands and loud patterns, such as leopard print, and when asked where his underwear looked best Dino told Vancouver magazine: "On the floor."[7]

Boundary-pushing and focused on creating a buzz, each ONS purchase also included a complimentary (and flavored) ONS-labeled condom, with portions of each sale going to HIV/AIDS research.[8]

For its flashy designs, edgy marketing and playful style the ONS line received instant acclaim and attention, throttling Dino into the spotlight of up-and-coming fashion designers in Vancouver.

Appearing in Vancouver magazine,[7] Vancouver ECHO,[9] Vancouver Taxi,[3] Xtra! West[10] and the North Shore News,[1] each cover story profiled him as one of the city's most promising young designers who were responsible for putting Vancouver back on the international fashion map.

Co-owner Andy Chu and chef Gerry Kleinhout outside The Chew Chew Club, 1998

In 1998 Dino turned his sights on rescuing famous Vancouver landmark The Railcar in Gastown.

Built in 1929, the retrofitted traincar/restaurant was a popular draw with well-to-do tourists traipsing through the trendy Vancouver neighborhood, but the owners changed hands several times and the various iterations never found sustained success with the local residents.[11]

Dino and business partner Andy Chu purchased The Railcar and rebranded it as The Chew Chew Club, taking direct aim at a younger, hipper and more affluent demographic.

The pair hired edgy chef Gerry Kleinhout who crafted a casual, tapas-style menu that featured a blend of quirky specialties, such as potato-crust pizza, and high-end offerings, such as imported P.E.I. mussels.[12]

Following the success of ONS, Dino set about bringing his family business's high-profile name to the heart of Downtown Vancouver by opening his own high end store in Yaletown.

Minichiello opened on June 16, 1999, and carried Dino's own label of designer men's and women's wear.[13]

Marketed as bringing to Downtown Vancouver "the best of old-world Italian couture coupled with new world attitude," Dino's new store and new fashion line quickly gained him celebrity clients such as Rodney Dangerfield, Nick Gilder, Pat Quinn and Olympian Charmaine Crooks.[2]

During this time he was also nominated for "best emerging designer" by the B.C. apparel industry.[2]

In January 2009 Dino founded Triumph Capital, a private equity and investment banking company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Recognizing the importance of combining capital investment with practical hands-on executive experience, Dino set about positioning Triumph Capital as a firm that specializes in taking companies to new levels of profitability.

As part of promise to his father, Paul Minichiello, Dino decided to return to his tailoring roots. Cattivo Ragazzo, to launch in late 2020, is rumoured to be his most ambitious project yet.