Rapha + Paul Smith, two British brands with a history of working in tandem. In 2004, Rapha founder Simon Mottram listed Paul Smith’s work as one of his professional inspirations. In 2007 Mottram worked with Smith for the first time on a Grand Départ Jersey to commemorate the Tour de France prologue in London – that jersey is now a collectors item.
Rapha’s latest collaboration with Sir Paul began with a question: if Paul Smith had sponsored a team in a bygone era of cycling, what would the kit have looked like? The decorated menswear designer, and lifelong bike enthusiast, used his personal collection of cycling memorabilia as design inspiration. The resulting capsule includes a navy mid-weight jersey ($195.00), base layer ($70.00) and bib shorts ($275.00), all adorned with Paul Smith’s signature multicolored stripes.
The Rapha + Paul Smith collection is available now from paulsmith.com.
