Aside from the bikes themselves, the jersey - maillot or maglia - has become the most iconic symbol of cycling's history, its proud teams and preeminent riders and most recently its fashion. There is a booming collectors market for vintage jerseys, and the finest quality traditional and retro manufacturers including De Marchi, Castelli and Rapha and are registering huge increases in sales. Sir Paul Smith features jerseys in his collections and designs them for the Grand Tours.
In this beautifully photographed, handsome new volume, Oliver Knight traces the development of the jersey from the days long before Lycra as function fused with sponsors' requirements to peddle their brands. He goes behind-the-scenes at the manufacturers and tells stories of the garments' design and slow evolution and the processes of manufacture. He celebrates the iconic tour jerseys and the magical rainbow stripes of the world champions. He interviews former and current pros and uncovers inspirations and obsessions of some of the world's greatest cycling collectors, riders, historians and key figures from the worlds of design and fashion. The book is complete with Oliver's superlative, original photography and includes contributions from writers and leading figures from the cycling world.
