Bicycles built for fashion and style, not just for pumping up muscle
Chanel offers a classic bike for the 2008 Spring/Summer season. Provided by Chanel
Bikes have come a long way from the boneshakers of yore and a bike is now a fashion accessory as much as a mode of transport.
Chanel is leading the pack with a graceful aluminum-frame bike for its Spring/Summer 2008 season. The 16.5-kilogram (36.38-pound) hand-finished two-wheeler screams fashion with every feature. It’s a limited edition, decorated with Chanel’s signature quilted black calf leather.
The bike is not only fashionable, but also practical. The two saddlebags offer plenty of storage space ― a feature most bikes lack ― and each one is larger than a medium-size classic handbag.
The bike also comes with a cute makeup case tucked behind the seat.
The bike retails at around $1,200 in the United States; Chanel’s Korea office said personal inquiries regarding prices for bikes in Korea are welcome.
According to Jeong Su-jin, a Chanel public affairs official, at least one bike from the French fashion house is wheeling around the streets of Korea.
Chanel has competition on the bicycle fashion stakes. Samchuly Bicycle, one of the largest bike manufacturers in Korea, featured its products at the 2008 Spring/Summer fashion show of BeanPole, a Korean clothing and accessory manufacturer.
Samchuly offers a special breed of bicycle known as Mini Velo, folding bikes that bikers can carry onto trains and buses and conveniently store at home. These attractive bikes have cute names like Pop Corn and the 3.2 version goes for 275,000 won ($277) and the 1.2-version is 235,000 won.
Pop Corn 3.2 from Samchuly. Provided by Samchuly
For more serious cyclists, the ultimate luxury comes from Italy. This year Colnago offers “Colnago for Ferrari 60th,” marking 20 years of collaboration with the dream car-maker.
The bike is modeled after the road racer Colnago Extreme Power, which is made of carbon fiber and weighs 6.58 kilograms. But the real charm comes in its classical Ferrari red design.
The limited edition sells for 17 million won at Cello Sports in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul. Only 60 are available around the world, the company said.
By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter [myoja@joongang.co.kr]
By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)