Tour de Collaboration

The pairing of cycling gear with fashion, art, and lifestyle labels—a trend that fashion industry watchers trace back to Rapha’s first collaboration with designer Paul Smith in 2007—continues to flourish in 2023, with a number of high-end cycling apparel brands announcing capsules with notable names in the fashion and lifestyle segments.

Here is a look at what some of the leading players have been up to:

• Last month, Italian brand Giordana Cycling announced it had paired with creative director, womenswear designer, and photographer Kristopher Brock for a capsule collection of technical and lifestyle apparel including bike jerseys, wind jackets, shorts, rain pieces, swim shorts, and accessories, under the Per Tutti I Terreni (“For All Terrains”) banner. The collaboration, which includes men’s, women’s, and unisex pieces, marks Brock’s first entry into both menswear and athleticwear. Giordano has done a number of other collaborations with a variety of property types, including several with Mexican artist Edward Dennis.

• U.K.-headquartered Rapha announced another collaboration with Paul Smith this spring, the latest in a series of partnerships between the two over the past 15 years, with the most recent in 2019. The 2023 edition, which includes men’s and women’s long-sleeve jerseys, caps, socks, shoes, and glasses, is inspired by bright 1960s hues and includes Smith’s signature stripes and leaping rabbits on base colors of blue (for Rapha’s pro cyclists) and black (for consumers). Also this year, Rapha partnered with Brain Dead, a brand designed by a global artist collective, for a collection including a lightweight, wind-proof jacket, elastic nylon cap, and hip pack. Past collaborations have ranged from several capsules with skate and street brand Palace to a collection with Mr. Porter.

• In May of this year, Café du Cycliste paired with designer Agnès b. to release a collection of biking-friendly apparel and accessories. The two brands are based in France, and the collection is made by long-time French and European manufacturing partners of both. The collection includes tank tops, utility shorts, zip-front cardigan sweaters, scarves, caps, bags, water bottles, and unisex t-shirts imprinted with messages hand-written by the designer. Café du Cycliste’s other collaborators have included 66^o North, a cold-weather brand based in Iceland.

• Pas Normal, a Danish cycling apparel brand, paired with French outdoor footwear and apparel label Salomon for two planned drops in 2023, with the first release, in February, consisting of boots and hydration vests. Pas Normal also is releasing a new collection of bags and accessories for both biking and casual wear this year with Japanese luggage brand Porter-Yoshida & Co., with which it has collaborated in the past.

• Australian brand Pedal Mafia’s collaborators have included artists such as Los Angeles-based Ornamental Conifer, with whom it has partnered for multiple drops, and fashion brands such as StreetX, an Australian streetwear brand, for t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, caps, chains, track pants, and more.

• Velocio, a U.S.-based, mostly Italian-made brand that is known for sustainability and was purchased by SRAM in 2022, has partnered over the years with the likes of designer Tiffany Cromwell (also a pro cyclist) and artist Lisa Congdon. It also released capsule collections with designer Lela Rose, including jerseys, bib shorts, and wind vests, each tied to a different colorful floral theme.

Note that the designers involved in these collaborations often have a personal connection to cycling. Paul Smith is an avid cyclist, Kristopher Brock participates in triathlons, and Agnès b. is a strong proponent of cycling as part of her belief in and brand image around sustainability, for example.

Outside of the lifestyle and fashion sphere, many of these cycling apparel companies have also partnered with cycling-centric properties including pro cyclists and pro cycling teams, bike brands, and fellow performance apparel labels, as well as a range of other properties, from beer brands to entertainment IP.

A reminder that the next edition of Raugust Communications’ monthly e-newsletter will arrive in in-boxes tomorrow, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. The Licensing Topic of the Month takes a look at group-licensing programs across a variety of industries, while the Datapoint research spotlight examines licensing and collaboration in the footwear category. If you are not yet a subscriber to this free publication, you can sign up here.