Rapha kicks off 20th birthday celebrations with limited edition Flanders-inspired collection

Rapha, the London-based cycling clothing brand launched in 2004, is kicking off its 20th birthday celebrations next week with the launch of a limited edition Flandrien Collection – the first of five collector’s edition ranges that the company will release during the year.

Also announced today is a one-off switch-out kit in black and white and with design elements harking back to the 1960s that the men and women of EF Pro Cycling will wear while racing the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

The Flandrien Collection will go on sale on Monday 2 April in Rapha Clubhouses worldwide as well as through the brand’s website, ahead of which Rapha Cycling Club members will have exclusive 24-hour access to the range.

Items in the range (with RRPs in brackets) are Men’s & Women’s Flandrien Classic Long Sleeve Jerseys (£185), Men’s Flandrien Classic Bib Shorts (£210), Flandrien Unisex Classic Quarter Zip Knit (£150), and Flandrien Merino Socks (£22).

The company says that its 20th anniversary campaign, entitled ‘Past Forward’, will be “a global celebration of Rapha’s origins and evolution, and a beacon for the brand’s creative continuum.”

According to the company, the campaign “is about Rapha’s unique story, how the company has and always will be a definitive marque in cycling.”

Rapha adds that “the celebrations throughout this season will culminate in a show in London in September, paying homage to the original ‘Kings of Pain’ exhibition which Rapha launched with in 2004.

“This 2024 exhibition will take a fresh, forward looking approach to cycling, envisioning the future of the sport and the development of its culture.”

UCI rules allow teams to change their kit design once a season, and the EF Education-EasyPost men’s line-up for the Tour of Flanders, led by past winner of the race, will be wearing a one-off switch out kit, as will the EF Education-Cannondale riders including Paris-Roubaix winner Alison Jackson in the women’s race.

“This classic, monochrome collection pays homage to the brand’s founding modernist aesthetic and is the first checkpoint in a year-long showcase of Rapha’s legacy and how the past informs the brand’s forward momentum,” says Rapha.

“The EF Pro Cycling switch out for Flanders is about celebrating Rapha’s provenance and applying it to modern day racing apparel,” the brand continues.

“With a name and logo harking back to the golden era of cycling in the 1960s, Rapha has always used the sport’s traditional vernacular to create timeless products with performance and style.

“The classic design, constructed with modern materials for optimal WorldTour performance, pays tribute to the jerseys of the past, where all partners were represented by a single typeface on a rider's jersey, adding an authentic touch to the kit,” the company adds.

Picture credit for all EF Pro Cycling switch out kit photos: Jered and Ashley Gruber