To coincide with the start of the Tour of Britain in Sunday, Rapha has unveiled its new Team Sky British Jersey.
The British jersey is the latest in a series of country jerseys that Rapha has been releasing throughout the year. It has done country jerseys in the past as well. Previously this year Rapha has done Belgium, Italy, France, Spain and now, with the clock ticking down until the start of the Tour of Britain, it has released the British to complete the collection - until it decides to add a few more countries of course.
The jersey is constructed from what Rapha describes as a breathable stretch fabric. It features a sublimated tricolour pattern print with the colours of the Union flag. There are smaller details celebrating the British members of Team Sky, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, that have won the British national championships.
With three cargo pockets there is plenty of space for spare clothing and supplies (cake) and there’s a full-length front zipper. The jersey is also finished with the Team Sky logos but they’re much smaller than on the regular team edition race jersey, so if you’re a Team Sky fan but want a more stylish alternative, this if for you.
That’s Ian Stannard modelling the jersey in the photos by the way. There’s a good interview with the man on the Rapha website at the moment, as he makes final preparations for the upcoming Tour of Britain. What does he think of the route, which has evolved a lot over the last few years?
“I think the organisers have really stepped up their game this year,” he says. “It’s a really challenging route with some pretty long days over 200km. I’m looking forward to Stage 6, from Stoke-on-Trent to Nottingham, which goes over the climbs of the Peak District where I train.” Read more here.
The Team Sky British Jersey is available six sizes and costs £75.
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17 comments
slightly pedantic maybe, but it doesn't feature a Union Jack on it, anywhere. A Union Jack is the name of the flag when flown on a boat/ship, the rest of the time it's the Union Flag.
(although this is arguable according to wikipedia)
How many other brands get a whole article every time they print a new jersey design?
At least it's at priced at an un-Rapha-like £75.
Surely this is more down to the PR people of the brand as opposed to the company itself? I'm fairly confident that the site would run the majority of pieces of product launches if the brands got their act together and sent the press release in! If it's 'news', then the firm should be making hay from it.
Mason bikes had a good 6 or 7 news pieces about the new company and range etc, it's simply good pr practice, business 101.
Looks like a hybrid of a Sky jersey and WIGGINS jersey...
Fixed.
Rapha aren't idiots. Anybody that has worked in fashion retail will tell you that designs featuring overtly British emblems and symbols will not sell to the UK market.
Of course they could emblazon it with Union Jacks etc, but they will sell exactly 7 of them - 4 to tourists and 3 to BNP members.
Ah! And that is the problem. They have created a fashion item not a national strip. This is a good looking jersey that has had a few logos and a couple of flags added.
I like it but unless you told me that it was the Great Britain strip I wouldn't know.
On a side issue: Don't you think it is time to claim our national symbols and identity back?
Yes. But I think a conscious effort to muddy what it means to be British has diluted our fervour for all that once brought a swell of national pride. No one wants to British now, just ask the Scots.
Personally, I don't really care. I find the patriotism of Americans and Australians (for example) jingoistic, small-minded and backward. If I was president of the world, I'd do away with the concepts of countries and nationalities altogether.
And don't get me started on religion.
"And representing Monaco, er Serbia Montenegro, er Luxembourg...er...um...er...Oh sorry! I'll start that again. And representing Great Britain..."
There isn't a great deal that screams out Great Britain. Even the Union Flag that is there appears to be almost embarrassed.
Rapha, you can do better than this!
As much as I like this Rapha one, I prefer this one from assos
image_1176.jpg
...and the French one was different, with red as the main colour, and they have Union Jacks on them, and they fit really well and are a very good price (no one mentioned that this is a cheaper Rapha jersey when bitching), and they look really good in the flesh...and I have got the Italian, French and Spanish ones as well and they pass the test of which jersey do you reach for....they just fit me perfect and look great and simple...
...you miserable bunch.
Bagsy no return...
Country jerseys use the national colours in a consistent horizontal stripe design. It links well with the design of many European flags because apart from the colours, they also have a horizontal stripe design. But Rapha aren't specifically trying to recreate flags. If you take this jersey sans emblems, then they could also use this for USA, Australia, New Zealand, Russia etc.
The union jacks featured on the jersey are exactly as they should be.
I'm always surprised by the result of allowing 'designers' to piss about with the Union flag. It's probably the most iconic and recognisable flag and or icon in the world, yet they insist on messing it up, every time, without fail.
Looks more French than British.
Looks like they designed that on a Friday afternoon.
The blue of our flag is a lot brighter than that. This looks dark and a bit boring.
As an homage to a national flag this would be better for the Dutch, since that's exactly what the Dutch flag look like.