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Today’s consumers’ lifestyle priorities are different. It involves independence, optimism, connecting minds, and a lot of explorations. Luxury and fashion brands have to keep identifying new opportunities that they can use to target their audience - even if they are not their forte. Collaborating with motorbike and bicycle teams and brands is one of them.
One of the initial partnerships included Diesel collaborating with Ducati to launch the Monster Diesel bike, along with a capsule collection in 2012. The collection was made to be available at the Diesel stores of Rome, New York, and Tokyo. Following that, in 2015, Emporio Armani and Vespa released Vespa 946 Emporio Armani scooter with a branded back-top case as part of celebrating the 40th anniversary of Emporio Armani and the completion of 130 years by the Piaggio Group. In September 2015, Tokyo’s BMX specialist W-BASE teamed up with Stussy to drop a capsule collection of bike-based apparel such as caps, jackets, and badges.
Electric bikes are also getting their fair share of attention from consumers, since they are believed to be sustainable products and the future of this industry. In 2021, Burberry made the first move as a fashion luxury brand to collaborate with the Tour de France team. The brand also partnered with the electric bike brand DAB Motors in December of the same year. Similarly, Saint Laurent joined forces with Super73 to launch a special-edition electric bike in 2021.
The collaboration is also used to signify the cultural and demographic aspects of fashion and bikes. One of the team-ups was Feng Chen Wang and Piaggio in 2021 to launch an E-scooty, helmet and a unisex clothing collection. This collaboration included significant features of both the brands’ birthplaces. The scooter featured the Chinese traditional arts with vibrant hues from London’s street graffiti.
Luxury brands sometimes pursue bike and bicycle collaborations to seamlessly embed their identity into the everyday lifestyle of their customers, offering a more immersive brand experience. For example, Louis Vuitton collaborated with Maison Tamboitte to launch its all-branded handcrafted LV bicycle in 2020 that featured French craftsmanship with monogram branding in all the possible parts, LED lights, a built-in tracker, and a shock absorber. The bicycle showcased the elegance of a classic bicycle and the functionality of a modern bike system.
One notable collaborative bike that got even more limelight in recent times was the Vespa 946 Christian Dior scooter featured in the second season of Netflix show Emily in Paris. Lily Cooper was seen riding the scooter with the matching monogram-embellished trunk and helmet.
To resonate with today’s lifestyle-driven consumers, luxury brands are expanding their reach beyond traditional offerings, embedding themselves into products that embody freedom, style, and sustainability. Collaborations with bike and motorbike brands uniquely bridge the gap between fashion and mobility, reflecting a new era where style meets function. Through these partnerships, brands not only enhance their cultural relevance but also connect with a generation that values meaningful, dynamic experiences.
Cover Image: Vespa Official Website
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