1949.

25 June 2009

We’re not all plastic bikes and semi-flammable clothing here. In trueness, the thing we ride most is a steel bike while in jeans and a t-shirt.

The well-crafted object will always appeal and speak to us in ways assembly-line robotics can only hope to, and the wool Rapha CAMPIONISSIMO jersey fills the void in the schism created by the realities of mass-consumer produced goods and realizing a creation with both integrity and trueness-to-vision.

Detailing like the metal-reinforced, wood buttons and concealed chest pocket exemplify this notion. The tailoring is impeccable –the piece’s silhouette is decidedly cut for action and movement but, it is equally at home worn off the bike and as casual clothing. Like all pieces by Rapha, the story on the inside tag describes a rider and rides of the past –in this instance, the (true) myth of Il Campionissimo, Fausto Coppi.

Photo taken of a bronze bust dedicated to Fausto Coppi at the chapel of the Madonna Ghisallo, last OCTOBER.

_garrett chow