Let me start by setting the scene: From the moment I started to unwrap my first order of Velocio gear I was immediately won over by the tastefully understated appearance of each piece. And then, when I got dressed and headed out for a ride it became clear to me that behind that the ‘simplistic facade’ each piece of this apparel is covered in hidden design detail in order to achieve the perfect fit and function.
Words // JT Photos // Sven Martin (shots of Dan), Callum Wood (shots of Ben).
It’s clear that the fabrics and materials that the brand selects, as well as the methods in which each piece is joined to the next, has deeply considered and well rehearsed. Refreshingly in contrast to the ‘fast fashion’ mentality that most apparel brands in the biking market are built upon, Velocio instead choose to pedal in a different direction, creating riding apparel that has a true sense of purpose and longevity.
When I began to research for this article and dig a little deeper I came across three words that represent the brands mission statement ‘Milestones’. They were: innovation, sustainability and culture.
I decided to open my interview with Brad Sheehan, Velocio’s Co-Founder and current Head of Design, by asking him to (please) elaborate on symbolism of those Milestones which are said to create the ethos of the company?
Brad: Those of us that came together to start Velocio brought our own unique experiences as well as a pretty aligned perspective that we wanted to do this differently. We had identified areas in cycling apparel that were severely lacking and we knew that we wanted to go about creating something in the right way – something that aligned with our own personal/collective beliefs and addressed the challenges we all had in trying to find apparel that spoke to us on every level. It took us a couple of years to be able to distil that down into those three pillars, but in reality they were there from day one. This has both kept us focused and authentic to who we are and at the same time challenged us when the more typical (and often easier) road lay out in front of us. Fact is, creating Velocio the way we saw it was and still is hard. But also rewarding knowing that we’ve done everything with those three pillars in mind.
Innovation primarily speaks about our product and our continued evolution of how we design, develop, test, evaluate and redesign. We try to think big, then pair that with utility and real-world application. As a smaller brand in this space, necessity has also driven innovation throughout the decisions we make on a day-to-day basis. In other words, this pillar is a reminder to us that finding creative and new ways to solve problems often leads to better a solution – and a more authentic one too.
Sustainability is considered in every decision we make; it’s truly been that way since we started. We ended up creating a number of “firsts” in cycling out of our decision to make sustainability a goal. Materials, packaging, commitments to causes, the amount of product we produce, the decisions we make around durability, and the repair & renewal process we offer all radiate from this focus on making considered decisions about our impact on the environment. This commitment was born out of our desire to be real and mindful of what we were doing. Since after all, creating “more” is at odds with conservation. We’ve never approached this in an opportunistic way to grow our business or as a marketing tagline. We’ve committed to this course because we believe it’s the right thing to do.
Culturally, we wanted to build a brand that is approachable, that celebrates riding a bike and the experiences riding enables – across any typical social or cultural divide. No secret handshakes. No clubs. Just the shared experience of riding a bike. This has branched out into the various programs we’ve supported, the breadth and diversity of our ambassadors, our commitment through our product offering to a broad range of bodies, and the way we show up at events, retailers and community activations.
[R]: Can I ask what was the motivation for you guys starting a new apparel brand originally considering there were already so many players in the market – what were you aspiring to do differently?
Brad: In 2013, when we started work on the brand, there weren’t that many players – far fewer than the ~5 years that followed. Most well-known brands at the time were the original brands that had been in cycling for decades – heritage brands that gained credibility through racing and a very traditional approach to the sport. There were some newer brands, but all seemed to follow the same playbook – very traditional, celebrate racing and the glory of suffering. Almost all women’s apparel at the time was small men’s clothing. And the offering was extremely limited – 20% of the total offering in most cases. Consideration of environmental impact wasn’t even a factor at the time (as was the norm throughout the apparel industry). This playbook continues today.
We saw an opportunity to create the highest quality apparel for all riders – with a focus on creating women’s apparel that until then, didn’t really exist. We developed our own fit and patterning, we applied the same attention to detail, technology and materials found on the highest quality men’s product and effectively created the stance that anyone riding a bike – regardless of identity – should have the opportunity to access performance and quality. We coupled this with a non-traditional perspective on a sport steeped in tradition. We set out to shift the paradigm and to trigger conversation. We were purely committed to these ideas and our values, which still inform the decisions we make today.
[R]: Who would you say is the quintessential Velocio customer?
Brad: Our customers are very passionate and committed to the bike – a lifestyle versus an activity. They care about the world they live in – both socially and environmentally. My impression is that the importance of quality and performance of the product is equally balanced with our environmental and cultural stance. In other words, it’s rare that our customers buy our product and don’t appreciate what we’re doing as a brand.
[R]: After 5 years of building the brand’s foundations in road riding, you guys then expanded into MTB. Was that a natural progression?
Brad: Yeah, 2018. It’s been a minute! Developing kit for mountain biking was something that came naturally after applying our own experience elsewhere in cycling: to create a better product that performs and lasts. Quality, durability, aesthetic and sustainability were all areas we felt we could respond to with our approach to product and, as riders ourselves, were looking for something that spoke to us and performed well. After years of discussing our entry into the category, we looked at how we could resource it to make it a reality. We’ve undergone many iterations since that first collection. The sport has evolved, and our latest MTB apparel is light years away from where we started in 2018. I’m grateful we’ve had the opportunity and support to press on and evolve this collection into what it is today, and I’m stoked to see the response of what we have planned for this year. We’ve raised the bar and I’m super proud of our team and what’s gone into making this season a reality for our customers.
What got me on board with Velocio, before even trying the kit was their mission statement and environmentally conscious approach to the brand, being a 1% for the planet member as well as always improving the product footprint while making the best apparel possible. It’s awesome to see a brand make all these efforts, and when they have incredible gear to boot, it’s a no brainer, it’s ethical investing. My go to Velocio fit recently is their trail short, delta short sleeve top and always the signature eco sock (always in white) I’ll always carry around the ultra lightweight trail jacket too.”
– Ben Hildred, Conqueror of unthinkably impossible MTB missions
[R]: How would you describe Velocio’s ‘style guide’ and design philosophy?
Brad: Carefully considered minimalism. Make it disappear (no distractions).
[R]: What influences does your team draw upon when you’re creating a new item for market?
Brad: It’s quite varied depending on the type of product we’re looking to create. We draw inspiration from outside of the cycling industry, exploring different materials, patterning, performance (eg breathability or insulation), etc. When we’re not looking at evolving an existing style, we typically start from a ‘clean slate’ approach and look at the core challenge we’re trying to solve for. A typical question is based on “this is how it’s usually done today, throw that out, how can we look at the problem with a fresh perspective? How can we do it differently?” Sometimes that leads to a completely new take, sometimes it validates what we’ve done in the past, but in both scenarios, we leave confident that what we’ve created is uniquely ours.
[R]: Without going ‘too far down the rabbit hole’ could you tell us a bit about how you guys’ source and ultimately settle on the various fabrics and materials that you use throughout the range?
Brad: What you’ve described IS a rabbit hole! There are so many variables in how we select materials: weight, breathability, composition, construction, elasticity, durability, shrinkage, origin, minimum order quantity, cost, and on and on. As we look to develop new styles, we first focus on what materials are going to be optimal for solving the problems we’re faced with. If we’re looking to create a light weight short that pedals well in the heat of the summer, we’re going to look first at weight, breathability, elasticity and abrasion. We reach out to several suppliers to see what they have available, build prototypes to test performance and fit, and refine from there. It becomes an iterative process until we arrive at what we feel delivers on the initial challenge.
What first put Velocio onto my radar was that they’re a 1% for the planet certified company! I personally love the casual look of the Velocio gear. Just really nice basic colour ways and a nice fit that you can wear all day. If you’re already buying a product you don’t need to be a huge billboard for that company, so I really like how Velocio have gone for smaller, subtle logos across their range. My go to riding kit are the Ultralight shorts with a short sleeve merino jersey. The shorts are super light and comfy with a good bit of stretch to them. And the merino jersey fits like your favourite t-shirt but is super breathable. But perhaps my absolute favourite would be the Recon pants, they’re the ultimate in versatility – I wear those when I’m racing World Cups, out doing 100km trail rides, and I even honestly wear them when I am commuting on the plane wherever I’m travelling!”
– Dan Booker, Enduro World Cup crusher!
[R]: Could you share with us what being a member of the ‘1% for the planet’ movement represents to the brand?
Brad: For us 1% is a minimum. It’s worth pointing out that “1%” is 1% of top line revenue, not profit, so it’s a meaningful number that becomes part of our operating budget. It’s a small but important reminder that every decision we make has an impact. This has been a long-term commitment we’ve made in giving to causes we feel are making significant strides in conservation. We’ve seen more and more brands get involved over the years – which is great.
[R]: You guys offer a repair service where customers can send their items back to mended, which personally I think is awesome. But commercially, wouldn’t it be better for business just to encourage people to buy new stuff when their current stuff starts to wear out?
Brad: We don’t approach what we do from a strictly “commercial” perspective that often. Yes, we need to make money at the end of the day, but our customers are drawn to the brand and remain loyal to what we’re doing because we’ve made a commitment to them, to our planet, and to doing things the right way for the long run. Keeping garments in service longer is simply better for everyone. It allows us to focus on creating the best quality apparel, something that requires a bigger initial investment, but ultimately costs less and is lower impact the longer it’s used. It reduces the number of garments in the world, which has been a systemic problem for decades, and it adds value not only to the things we create but helps shape behaviour around purchasing. We’re a relatively small brand and we’ve still got a lot of potential commercially by bringing more people in – letting them get to know Velocio – so combined, it’s a win-win for us.
[R]: And finally, my I ask you, what is the ultimate vision for Velocio in 5, 10, 15 years’ time?
Brad: We’re focused on a better experience and challenging ourselves and the industry to find a better way in producing the things that we need and the things that bring us joy. Our goal is to be big enough globally to make that commitment one that creates meaningful change.
For more info on Velocio head to: www.velocio.cc
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