The latest fashion accessory? Not a Swarovski-encrusted phone, an oversize corsage or a hemp shopper but rather a two-wheeled, self-propelled transporter. Yes, the 95th annual Tour de France is about to start, and this summer bicycles are, as never before, the new handbags.
Once only prevalent in cities such as Beijing, where cars are expensive and parking impossible, the trend has spread further afield. Now, for example, more than 100,000 people are cycling around Rome, and fashion designers from Karl Lagerfeld to Andrew Buckler, Cynthia Rowley and Andy Spade are finding inspiration in the world of cycling.
"The fashion world has become much more conscious of environmental issues," says British men's wear designer Andrew Buckler, who not only sells bicycles in his eponymous shops but has also held biking parties. "This has prompted people to incorporate cycling in their daily lives, using it to get to work and to exercise. Fashion stores have responded and at the same time, bicycling has become more prominent due to celebrities like Lance Armstrong."
Indeed, it could sometimes be argued that Armstrong was the catalyst that propelled cycling into the zeitgeist, linking it literally with fashion: Malaysian designer Zang Toi's biannual New York fashion week show has been a regular sponsor of Livestrong, Armstrong's cancer charity.
Still, some designers say that cycling has long been a part of their subconscious. Men's wear designer Andy Spade notes: "when I was younger and rode BMX bikes, we had our own culture of expression. Being part of a group that was not so mainstream gave me the confidence to follow my own path and become a designer."
Spade is one of a number of fashion designers currently involved in the Bicycle Film Festival, an almost year-long celebration of the bicycle that began in New York in May and will pass through 15 more cities (including Zurich, London, Tokyo and Melbourne) before culminating in Portland in December. It features films, parties at the trend-setting Paris boutique Colette as well as Spade's store, and attendees such as Karl Lagerfeld and Nadia Swarovski.
Like Spade, Michael Ball, chief executive of denim brand Rock and Republic, also began his professional life on a bike. A track cyclist for years prior to starting his jeans line, Ball has also launched a racing team, Rock Racing. It includes two Olympic gold medalists, three Tour de France stage winners, and Oscar Sevilla Rivera, possibly the best young rider in the current Tour. Cyclists' clothing is also available via its website.
"The Rock Racing line is designed with a fashion eye, so that you're grabbed by the cyclist when he goes by," says Ball of the range. "It's a bit flamboyant, but also aerodynamic."
Ball isn't the only one marrying style with functionality. A few years ago the Giro Atmos helmet, with its futuristic carbon fibre "ribcage" construction, was included in an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York entitled SAFE: Design Takes on Risk . It has now been added to the museum's permanent collection.
With the Tour de France beginning next week, cycling will be the subject of more discussion - but Ball believes the prominence of the sport is set to rise further still. "You're going to see cycling blow up in a whole new way," he says. "We want to franchise a racing format that we're launching at end of this year, in December. In my opinion, cycling is not marketed correctly at the moment, and my goal is to make racing huge."
Syl Tang tracks trends and runs HipGuide Inc. She can be reached at ceo@hipguide.com.
SPORTY AND CHIC
In the saddle
For fashion-conscious cyclists, a number of designers have stepped in to fill the style-meets- substance gap. "How to look good yet still be visible enough to not get mown down by a bus?" asks Antonia Whyatt, former beauty director at Tatler, who teamed up with ex-model Kristine Petersen to start a line of cycling clothing, Popcycle, with the Danish designer Louise Amstrup.
Popcycle's line features vests with reflective designs such as a skull and crossbones, angels' wings and lightning bolts.
Meanwhile, over at the Sunglass Hut, manager Thelma Rodriguez says that Arnette is an eyewear line popular with cyclists. "It is polarised, lightweight and the brown lens are good on overcast days."
Popcycle, tel: (0)20-8969 9453
www.arnette.com
