Today sees the official launch of Hommage au Vélo, a new cycling apparel brand with a difference; in the words of their founder, they are the "first (cycling brand) in the world to weave charitable giving directly into our company DNA."
Launching with a compact range of performance-oriented men's and women's road cycling kit, Hommage au Vélo has pledged to donate 10% of the profit from every item sold to World Bicycle Relief.
World Bicycle Relief help people in developing countries to have better future education and health outcomes by supplying bicycles that help them overcome the challenge of distance, whether that's enabling them to cycle to school, or for health workers to reach patients.
"The vision behind the brand is to celebrate the life-defining qualities of cycling by producing premium quality kit and then channel a meaningful percentage of income back to charities who help others get on a bicycle," explains founder David Law.
A life-long cycling fan, David first raced in 1993 at Penshurst Off-Road Club in Kent, UK and fell in love with cycling during the 1990s MTB boom.
"Despite no identifiable talent," he explains, "I spent four seasons racing the amateur road circuit in Brittany (with help from the Dave Rayner Fund) between 2001 and 2004.
"My first club was the De Laune CC in Peckham, South London. Nobody famous ever came from that club! I've now spent 25 years as an unapologetic cycling fan: the first 13 years racing, the last 12 years shouting at the television, with the occasional Gran Fondo added in."
After a spell with Cafe du Cycliste David set out to pursue his vision of a brand driven by charitable aims.
"As a life-long cyclist, I wanted to start a project that might be both (1) interesting and (2) have a greater purpose," he explains. "Like many cycling fans, the sport defines my identity, and I would like to pay a little bit back whilst exercising my brain by running a business for myself."
As David puts it, "Hommage au Vélo has "reversed the usual corporate equation (make profit > give to charity). For us, it's part of our DNA: (give to charity > make profit)."
A healthy dose of realism is baked into the brand too.
"To sustainably give to charity, Hommage au Vélo must itself become sustainable," he acknowledges. "But maximum impact, not maximum profit, is the core of the brand. We don't mean that in a Dave Brailsford 'our aim is to be the most liked team' way. We'll actually stick to it and if we become profitable, we will increase our percentage donated."
So far, so admirable - but what about the actual kit? We've yet to see it in the flesh, but what details we have of the new range suggest the brand's charitable intent will be supported by genuine attention to detail and performance.
"Our garments are sourced with a lot of attention to quality from a well-known factory," says David, "but we don't claim our kit will result in a 14.7% increase in your power output, nor make clichéd claims like "created by cyclists for cyclists" or "for on and off the bike".
The launch range includes Booty Bib Shorts (named in hommage to Ray Booty, the first UK time trialist to go under 4 hours for the 100 mile time trial), Bourlon Speed Jerseys in block colours that let the texture of the aero material stand out, and for women, the Ghisallo lightweight jersey with asymmetric stripe.
The designs are understated, but closer inspection reveals lavish technical detail. The Bourlon jersey, for example, uses a striated aero fabric from Schoeller of Switzerland on the front and sleeves, while the back fanel is a lightweight mesh for breathability.
The fabric is treated with Coldblack technology for UVA and UVB protection, and the jersey features a full-length YKK zipper, flatlock stitching and elasticated sleeves for a race fit. These are the sort of features you'd expect in a premium jersey, and while the jersey's pricetag of £95 isn't cheap it's certainly competitive in the context of established premium brands.
And then of course, there's the fact that 10% of the profit from that jersey is going back into cycling.
A passion for cycling and a brand that puts its money where its heart is; it's hard to argue with that. Hommage au Vélo, we wish you bonne chance.
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