East London cycling culture inspires H&M clothing line

H&M for Brick Lane Bikes. Pic: H&M

Brick Lane Bikes, a specialist repair shop in Brick Lane, was chosen by the Swedish retail giant H&M to collaborate in creating a collection of clothes inspired by the urban air of fashionable east London.

Open since 2006, the shop on Bethnal Green Road is the first fixed-gear bike store in the UK, specialising in on-site custom building and repairs. It has become a popular go-to for the numerous cyclists in the east end.

Peter, manager for over two years at the shop, is a big fan of the new line:  ‘’We have been testing the clothes for quite a few months now and I can tell you that they have been designed around cyclists like us.’’

H&M for Brick Lane Bikes. Pic: H&M.

H&M for Brick Lane Bikes. Pic: H&M.

The growing trend of cycling in urban centres was successfully traced by the H&M designers team. The result was the creation of the H&M for Brick Lane Bikes collection, which combines sportswear with the glamourous urban style and vintage fashion synonymous with Brick Lane.

‘’The idea with the collection is to mix and match to find your own style, just as you can do with the custom made bikes from Brick Lane Bikes’’, said Victoria Chappel, spokesperson for H&M.

The garments are made by sustainable resources materials such as organic cotton, recycled cotton and recycled polyester.

Unfortunately for London’s female bike fashionistas, H&M has not made a women’s BLB collection. Chappel said: ‘’The idea came from the men’s wear design team at H&M, and it was therefore natural for it to be a collection for men.’’

The collection will be featured in a pop-up store in the back of Brick Lane Bikes from March 7, in addition to being sold online and in 180 stores worldwide.

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