Dress for the destination not the journey is a saying often used by the Dutch to reflect a cycling philosophy. In many ways that sums up my attitude to two of my favorite things; fashion and cycling
The role the bicycle plays within our modern urban landscape is what fascinates me. I am not referring to the recreational or workout aspect, but as a way of moving about within our cities. Going to work, school, shopping or socializing. The bicycle as a form of transportation
When COVID hit a few years ago and much of the world as we knew it ground to a halt, a unique opportunity presented itself to me. Up to that point creating clothing as a designer was my task, but for obvious reasons the demand for dressing up was dismissed. It allowed me the time to explore the idea of creating and making something else, namely panniers or bicycle bags. Growing up Dutch, the bicycle was a big part of this. You learn to ride shortly after you learn to walk and in many of my many trips back home from Canada I found myself bringing back various sets of panniers in funky prints and fabrics since I could not find any here in Canada.
Now this slowdown had allowed to explore the idea of creating and making them here. Combining my instincts as a fashion designer with that of a cyclist is a fun and challenging process; to combine obvious practical and logistical aspects with those of creative visual and individualistic statements.
The result is a series of bike bags that are fun statement pieces. What I really like about this concept is that variety of messages it sends. Of course it makes your bike look unique and personalized but it also in a subtle way sends that message that you truly treat your bicycle as a form of transportation to haul things for shopping or work.