Lastnightstony

The more I think about it, graphics got to me way before art or design were anything I had any knowledge of. When I got into the sport of cycling I was a teenager. I was fascinated by the intriqucies of the sport. The chess match of strategy that would unfold on the road was full of drama and still is. These battles in the mountains were illustrated by the commentary of Phil Liggett and, at the time, John Tesh. 

Advertising in Europe seemed so new and much more intense. I liked the idea that is was a sport not fed on commercials at halftime. Success for a company, who sponsored a team, was measured by how much air time they would get while racing. Winning stages with your hands in the air was essential to getting a proper read of the company that was paying that riders bills and wanting valuable recognition of their brand.

Cycling has rarely enjoyed a savvy design aesthetic, especially in the 80’s. There were some teams however that are still memorable because they had the best riders and the coolest looking kits.

La Vie ClaireThis jersey was based on Piet Modrian’s famous “Composition A”.Here is a shot of Cycling legends Greg Lemond and Bernard Hianult battling neck and neck to the finish of Stage 12 to Pau in the 1986 Tour de France. Hinault is actually wearing the Combination Jersey that is no longer in use but was built on the same layout of his La Vie Claire team kit. Coincidence? Even today, it is hard to find a professional team kit that is anything more than a bunch of logos fighting with each other on on swatch of fabric. There have certainly been great teams with legible info on their chests. La Vie Claire, however, was a true super team with several stars and a very recognizable look amongst a peloton of color and type.