David Millar retires from professional cycling at the end of 2014 and throughout the season, the stylish Scot has been wearing unique Fizik shoes, custom designed for each race.
The project, titled ‘An Eloquence of Movement’, culminates in the shoes being auctioned in aid of the Small Steps Project, a UK charity that provides aid – including footwear – and support to children and their families living on municipal rubbish dumps around the world.
We’ve already shown you Millar’s shoes from the Challenge Mallorca, het Nieuwsblad, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Tirreno-Adriatico, but here is a closer look at his national championship, Tour of Flanders, Commonwealth Games and a special Paul Smith design for the Tour of Benelux.
The white, blue and red British championships design commemorates Millar’s 2007 national road race title, which he was determined to win post-ban. The shoe is detailed with with post-race interview quotes
A bright yellow and black design celebrates the Tour of Flanders, featuring a bar-graph route profile on the instep and the Belgian red, yellow and black on the sole
With the 2014 Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow, Millar had a Charles Rennie Mackintosh-inspired design created – white with purple detailing and black geometric shapes
Now for the Eneco Tour of Benelux, which began in the Netherlands yesterday, Paul Smith – the renowned designer and friend of Millar – has created a beautiful bespoke addition to the collection.
Handmade in Italy, the shoe features two leather grades – one smooth, one perforated – giving a look that harks back to classical designs from the early era of cycling.
Paul Smith's stylish design has some beautiful touches including his gold-embossed signature
The shoe’s lining is printed with an Adonis blue butterfly, a protected species found on Box Hill in Surrey, where Millar has often raced including in the 2012 Olympics.
This blue shading is also featured on the carbon sole – and Smith has even included a good luck message in his own handwriting on one of the Velcro straps.
Check out the gallery for a more detailed view of the Paul Smith shoes, and visit the Small Steps Project for more information about Millar’s chosen charity.