“Fashion fades; only style remains the same”, according to Coco Chanel. Cycling has seen its fair share of interesting looks over the years. Loads.
Short shorts, sleeveless jerseys and flamboyant eyewear (and then the reprise of said flamboyant eyewear that transcended the bicycle and ended up on the faces of pop stars). A trend that is likely to fade even faster than some fleeting musical careers.
Style supersedes the fickleness of fashion. Look back at the photos of Coppi, Anquetil and Tom Simpson and their panache – on and off their bikes – is unquestionable. Read this back in another forty, fifty or sixty years and those cyclists will still look iconic.
This era’s sense of aesthetics speaks to Freddie Wyatt, the founder of jewellery brand Alludens. The new label, like many modern cycling clothing companies, has used social media to get the word out. Social media has also been how it’s received the attention of riders including Sir Bradley Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali and Romain Bardet. Patrons of the peloton.
Read: Culture Clubbed – Pippa York on cycling style
Seems apt that the watch they’re all sporting now is the Alludens Patron. The watch comes in either a 40mm Steel, Gold or Graphite case and with a choice of three straps; a cotton Nato strap, leather or perforated leather, reminiscent of vintage cycling shoes.
Alludens has also released the Forza pendant to complement each of the Patron watches in either 925 sterling silver, 18k gold or PVD graphite.
Will the watch link wirelessly to Strava or measure critical power output or VO2 max? No.
No, it won’t do any of those things. It is, however, a nod to the golden age of cycling, where style will forever remain.
Alludens Patron is available for purchase from the Rouleur Emporium
Read Casquette – in praise of the cotton cap
Desire: Legor Porecca Road – Italian style from Barcelona
