Cycling Style on a Roll

Photography: Guy Hills

Photo courtesy of Guy HillsPhotograph by Guy Hills

While tucking pants into socks serves a function for cyclists, the look has never really caught on as a fashion trend. Velorution, a London-based cycling shop specializing in folding bikes, work bikes, and town bikes, held a fashion show to highlight stylish clothes that also take a rider through their day in comfort.

At the Village Underground club on June 21, Velorution held the Prêt-à-Rouler fashion show to showcase fashion-forward clothing designed for cyclists. Since commuting cyclists are not known for being a fashion-conscious group of people, Velorution sought out hot designers to fill a niche that could potentially change the way cyclists dress forever: “We get many customers asking for good clothing that works well on a bike but that does not label the wearer as ‘cyclist.’ We expect that many non-cyclists are put off from trying riding by the garish and nerdy clothes many wear on a bike.”

Choreographer Jason Piper and producer Nikolas Gleber ensured that Prêt-à-Rouler was slick and entertaining, presenting stylish Londoners with clothes that easily translate from the bike to work, or to the pub.

The designers brought a colourful array of clothes constructed with deep pockets and waterproof fabrics. While models strutted down the runway in structured p-laid suits, flirty knee-length skirts, and leather helmets, others enthralled the audience with their cycling prowess by doing stunts and tricks.

The event, sponsored by Transport for London (TfL), the company responsible for London’s transit system, attracted designers like Karta Healy, who debuted his TWOnFRO line; Guy Hills, whose fabric Lumatwill ™ combines twill with a reflective yarn and Teflon coating; and Bill Amberg who showed a number of his leather bags ergonomically equipped with cross-body straps designed for commuting.

Velorution also teamed up with Sustran’s Bike It project for the ‘Teenage Girl Cycle Fashion Project,’ a national venture aimed to attract more girls to cycling culture, while maintaining current trends and style.