Cyclists are spoiled for choice when it comes to kit these days - there are so many brands offering top-quality cycling wear at a range of prices.
But what if you're looking for something different to the ubiquitous Rapha, Le Col or MAAP?
Purlieu is a new venture hoping to fill that gap. Hailing from Oxford, they've launched with a small selection of jerseys and socks based on original designs and made in the UK.
We caught up with founder Rob Griffths to find out more.
Sportive: Tell us a bit about Purlieu: what inspired you to set up a cycling brand?
Rob: Purlieu is a cycling clothing brand that aims to celebrate its UK roots. We have a British name which means the area surrounding a place or a familiar haunts and originally comes from the legal term in medieval England where it described land that bordered forest.
I was always a bit miffed by the way in which the UK cycling industry embedded itself in French or Italian cycling heritage, rather than trying to create its own identity. Purlieu is a reaction to that I guess: British name, British manufacturing, British identity.
At the same time, we are directly affected by the Brexit situation where import duties have made buying European brands more expensive. I was desperate to find an opportunity in this and felt that UK made apparel should have a larger place in the market than it currently has. In a world where cost has become more important than ethics, manufacturing in Britain means we can easily vet manufacturers we partner with and be certain of working conditions.
Have you a background in the cycling or fashion industries, or are you coming to it from the outside?
Not at all, my background is in town and landscape planning so I'm coming to this completely fresh. I've had a very steep learning curve but it's been really interesting and I've really enjoyed finding out which skills are transferrable and doing research to fill the gaps. There's definitely been a lot to learn and there are no shortcuts.
Do you design the kit yourself; and what are your inspirations?
I used to do a lot of skateboarding and mountain biking as a kid, I was also into alternative music so I guess I have always been interested in the different fashions and styles that develop in sub-cultures and I've loved seeing the success of Palace and Supreme.
There are lots of great purpose-driven companies doing some great things like Tony's Chocoloney, Toms, and more locally, Tap Social is a fantastic social enterprise in Oxford that is carving a great path.
The inspirations for the first couple of jerseys were some of my own artworks which were born from my experiences in town and landscape planning. The artworks for the Masterplan jersey and the Urbanism jersey look at interrogating urban and rural environments. I felt that these patterns would work well as cycling jerseys, particularly with their strong relationship to the competing demands, uses and value attributed to spaces. Cyclists are often questioned on their right to occupy space while motorised travel is prioritised, sometimes to the detriment of our urban spaces.
I love the colours and patterns from the ski and cycle gear of the 80s and 90s but I'm also fascinated by the care cyclists are taking in their appearance these days, outfits are carefully curated. I guess that is in part down to social media.
I'm also really interested in the crossover of cycling brands into off-bike fashion and the replication of the bike messenger sub-culture style by office workers. For a lot of cyclists I think it's because bike riding is not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle that creeps into every part of their personality. Attitudes to office wear have relaxed a lot in the last couple of years so people are able to express their personalities and hobbies more freely. I'm really intrigued to see how that develops and hopefully be part of it.
Your jerseys are made in the UK; was it tricky to find a manufacturer to work with?
All our products are manufactured in the UK, some of them use yarns or cloth that is produced outside of the UK but one of the founding principles of Purlieu is to celebrate the UK cycling community with an important part of that being that the products are manufactured in the UK.
I was working with a small factory in Derby to develop products but there were lots of delays and my timeframes got pushed back and back. I thought about finding a new factory to work with but kept faith with them. Eventually the company went into insolvency and I was kicking myself for not trusting my instinct.
This was a significant setback financially, emotionally and in terms of my timeframes. Finding new factories to work with was tough and it was difficult to find the resilience to keep going but it was a big learning moment and I think it taught me to trust my instincts a little more. We are currently working with a couple of factories in Leicestershire and excited to be developing new products.
There are some nice routes on the Purlieu website; when and how did you get into cycling?
I got into cycling as a way of catching up with friends, particularly as everyone became increasingly more spread out, catch-ups were less frequent and there was more and more to talk about when they happened. Cycling is a great excuse for a get together, a weekend away and for exploring new areas, especially if you find a nice pub somewhere in the last 10km.
Over lockdown with the world turned upside down, structure gone, interpersonal relationships diminishing and huge uncertainty, it became more important than ever to maintain a healthy mindset. I always thought that I was a gregarious and social person who thrived on the energy of group settings, this was suddenly taken away from me and I struggled a bit with my frustrations. Cycling has been a great way of dealing with that, both the time and space that you get from cycling alone, and the support you get from cycling with others.
I think a lot of people benefit from being able to talk openly with people they ride alongside, there is something interestingly disarming about being able to talk with people when you aren't sitting face to face, it facilitates openness and honesty.
I think everyone has their own reason for cycling but a lot of them revolve around maintaining healthy habits. Cycling for me has evolved, it's a way of making friends, it's a way of exploring and most of all it's a way of learning new things from the places you ride, the people you ride with and the people you meet along the way.
Obviously finding great new cafes is a big plus too.
Have you a favourite ride?
Favourite ride is a tough one. I've had some fantastic rides both in the UK and abroad. I did a six day tour of Slovenia last year that was just incredible. Cycling in the south-west of Ireland is beautiful and I've had some amazing rides in the Lakes, the Peaks, the North Pennines, the Yorkshire Dales, Scotland and the Brecon Beacons in Wales. I mainly ride out of Oxford to the Chilterns, the Cotswolds and the North Wessex Downs but I really love riding in the New Forest.
However, I think my favourite ride is just pedalling my steel frame 80s racer through Oxford, past the old buildings, dodging the traffic and feeling the buzz of activity. Cycling past the great-smelling restaurants and the busy bars, seeing the eclectic mix of life that Oxford hosts. Sometimes it's easy to forget that I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world so taking stock of how lucky I am when I pedal through town is important.
It's a tough time for the cycling industry, has this impacted on your plans for Purlieu?
I think it's a tough time for everyone. I think recently there has been an increase in people being frustrated with large corporations making a level of profit they don't need to make and not giving anything back to the communities they exist within, and cycling isn't any different from that.
My plans for Purlieu are to create a community for cycling, for sharing experiences and for celebrating British manufacturing. Building the community is central to this, which is why we are hosting Community Rides. The first few of these have been in Oxford but the plan is to use these to ride in new places and expand the community, exploring together.
Where do you hope to see Purlieu a year from now, and in five years?
A year from now, I hope people are talking about Purlieu, I hope people are part of the Purlieu community and joining our rides, I hope people are wearing Purlieu gear and I hope people have enjoyed cycling with, or because of, Purlieu.
Find out more at purlieu.cc.
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