For a company that’s tailored its image in gritty black and white with just a splash of pink, 2013 looks a whole lot more colorful for Rapha.
The familiar left-arm bands remain, but for the coming season Rapha has added a number of high-visibility colors, a techy jacket and some undershirts.
Rapha also continues its tradition of special edition jerseys with a story around them. This fall, Rapha has the Lombardia Jersey ($240), which celebrates the GIro di Lombardia around Lake Como in the fall. In addition to Rapha’s trademark styling of the little story stitched into a pocket, the Sportwool Lombardia has a few details that its designers hope will make it an off-the-bike piece too. The neck buttons open to the side, and the cuffs button open also. The red-and-orange motif is appropriate enough for a jersey saluting the "race of the falling leaves."
The Lombardia Jersey
A few notches brighter are the hot pink vests Rapha doggedly calls gilets. The Brevet Jersey ($315) comes with a highly packable gilet, and Rapha is also selling a more substantial vest in men’s and women’s cuts for $155. The Hi-Vis Gilet has an off-center zipper.
Blending some rain-worthy functionality with the styling of Rapha’s soft shell jacket, the Hardshell Jacket ($335) is a taped-seams, reflective-piping, it’s-okay-if-you-get-caught-in-a-downpour kind of piece. It comes in a few colors new to Rapha’s pallet.
Other highlights of the 2013 line include a variety of base layers plus the Team Cross Jersey $220, Cross Bibs ($260) and Cross Winter Hat $55.
UK pricing was not immediately available.
The Cross Jersey
