Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Whenever I see these bike messengers with their big bike chain wrapped around their waist I always think about Karl and Chanel. I keep waiting for the day I see Chanel models racing down the runway sporting heavy chain belts with leather threaded through – a thicker version of a Chanel bag’s chain. This messenger’s look is just begging to be Karlized.
I know he has Chanelled other sports but has Karl ever interpreted bike messengers? Just imagine all that gear (high-heeled biking shoes as showcased earlier today) with the Double C logo.
By the same token, I would love to see a few smartass messengers turn the table and do their own version of a Chanel bike chain and lock.
I nominate this young lady to lead the charge.
October 2010
November 2010Ok, I know Terence Koh isn’t actually a messenger but still…the look is begging for the Karl touch.
Stephen
April 12, 2011 at 3:01 pm
You find them all. . .
-Stephen http://www.stitchesfabricandsoul.com
the46thdress
April 12, 2011 at 3:06 pm
God was literally just trying to google myself an awesome bike for the summer! want one so much! these people look beautiful xoxo Abby
http://www.the46thdress.blogspot.com
Anonymous
April 12, 2011 at 3:06 pm
love it
Jason Barbaria
April 12, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Great idea, although I'm not sure if some of the models could handle the weight!
Gabrielle
April 12, 2011 at 3:08 pm
haha.. your totally right! now every-time I see a bike messengers with their big bike chain wrapped around their waist I'm going to think about Karl and Chanel :D
blue roses
April 12, 2011 at 3:10 pm
i really enjoy when you muse a bit, some exploration in language.
in relation to this post, i love when anything is chanel-ized. karl infuses brilliance across media.
Malo
April 12, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Cool photos… That chick look really tough! She could lead the charge alright.
Thanks for sharing,
Malo
http://www.ModaeAmor.com/
Twitter.com/ModaeAmor
…
le sorelle
April 12, 2011 at 3:24 pm
my mom has an amazing vintage chunky chain chanel belt – maybe i can do a little DIY by threading leather through it and see how it looks! good idea – thanks for the inspiration!
-j
http://sorelleinstyle.blogspot.com
inspirefab
April 12, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Thinking of a DIY…and heading out to get a bike chain now…oh yes, this is happening! Thanks for the idea!
Visit the Inspiration Board!!
http://inspirefab.wordpress.com/
She Likes Shoes
April 12, 2011 at 3:39 pm
lovely photos!
http://shelikesshoes.blogspot.com/
jackie
April 12, 2011 at 3:44 pm
love the bike theme today :)
samecookiesdifferent
April 12, 2011 at 3:45 pm
such a perfect idea…cant wait to see it karlized !
amazing
the cookies xxx
http://www.samecookiesdifferent.blogspot.com
dan
April 12, 2011 at 3:58 pm
oh hey thats a photo of my but you posted.
-dan
http://bonedeth.tumblr.com/
Asterisk
April 12, 2011 at 4:09 pm
I think you should know.. your dreams are SOMEWHAT true. The bike lube of choice: Chain-L. The Packaging design mimics Chanel No. 5… enjoy. http://www.chain-l.com/
AND DAMN — that first boy — is that the Red Hook Crit winner.. DANIEL CHABANOV? oh i think it is.
La Petite Marmoset
April 12, 2011 at 4:16 pm
I bet he's totally going to do it now!
La Petite Marmoset
Allie
April 12, 2011 at 4:22 pm
What an innovative idea- LOVE!
a Broad
April 12, 2011 at 4:26 pm
LOL, I actually have a Chanel belt and I think I would love the chunkier biker belt too !
I Love Terence Koh :)
MaryG
April 12, 2011 at 4:27 pm
will someone tell Karl please?
That would be so insane :)
love it
salome
April 12, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Nice pics ;D
ASOS GIVEAWAY: http://magmoiselle.fr
Danielle
April 12, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Fab pics! Love that girls tattoo! :)
x
http://yonder-wonderland.blogspot.com/
comme fraiche
April 12, 2011 at 4:31 pm
I think designers should create some fashion specifically for
messengers on wheels. Ralph Lauren's line could be named the "Polo Express"
Sandra
April 12, 2011 at 4:39 pm
what a great complement!!
fashion will never stop to surprise me…
for this reason I love it!
http://www.mysavageside.blogspot.com
Mila
April 12, 2011 at 4:49 pm
Love it!
http://www.modeuncover.com
estela.pereira
April 12, 2011 at 5:17 pm
They certainly ride their bikes with style! So cute the girl, she looks so tough and rides a pink bike:).I started following this blog just few days ago, check it in the morning and again the end of the day. How delighted i was to read a text together with the great pictures. Sometimes its good to know ur thoughts behind ur work. And most of the times just ur work says it all. Im looking forward to the weekend so i can see the older posts.
Jessie
April 12, 2011 at 5:17 pm
what a fabulous inspiration. i love the tattoo on the second photo.
http://wordbyjessie.com
Román Iglesias
April 12, 2011 at 5:59 pm
I like the first photo Vans…!
http://www.coolneeded.com
Tina Marie
April 12, 2011 at 6:33 pm
Hopefully from your blog to Karl's ears or eyes! Great idea. Loving it!
http://livefreeordieshopping.blogspot.com/
damofoto
April 12, 2011 at 6:45 pm
Branding opportunity obviously: Chainel.
Jerome C.
April 12, 2011 at 7:25 pm
The white boy is fantastic…love the look :D
http://www.themadtoter.blogspot.com
Anonymous
April 12, 2011 at 7:47 pm
this guy in white is really pulling off a cleanroom/charlie and the chocolate factory look!!!
god i love that people put these crazy but great looks together! it amkes my day!
nicola
Amy Creyer
April 12, 2011 at 9:18 pm
I love fashionable people who ride bikes!!!
http://www.chicagostreetstyle.com/
juana
April 12, 2011 at 9:19 pm
good idea
C-WORD
April 12, 2011 at 9:23 pm
If you want to photography more fashionable bikers you should come to Portland, Oregon immediately! It is bike fashion heaven!
Seattle Bites
April 12, 2011 at 9:40 pm
what makes them look so wonderful is that they have PERSONAL style not designer style.
tamara
April 12, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Interesting idea, but I doubt that the bike messengers' typical ethos/aesthetic would embrace Chanel. I dig their own style, personally. Great photos, as always.
bcw
April 12, 2011 at 10:51 pm
vuitton men did a bike messenger inspired season for SS10 men, where bike messengers were the "gentlemen butterflies" of the city.
http://www.56.com/u61/v_NDQ3Mzk3Nzg.html
badabing
kathrynnova
April 12, 2011 at 11:06 pm
i think terrence made a mistake – the chain need to be white too.
there was a guy in my high school that would wear the heavy hardware store chains on his pants. he wore so many of them that whenever he walked by me the noises from the chains hurt my ears.
worldrunway.blogspot.com
Mars
April 12, 2011 at 11:28 pm
You are a genius. Karl should really create something inspired by these. I cannot imagine how glamorous it will all be with the double C.
Mars of fashion insouciance
Anonymous
April 13, 2011 at 1:50 am
Love the girl with the shoulder ink's style.
Architect Valeria Maselli
April 13, 2011 at 2:35 am
And did you noticed that real messangers' bikes don't have brakes and don't have gear? They are the so called fixed bikes and you can brake only counter pedal.
Architect Valeria Maselli
April 13, 2011 at 2:38 am
PS: in the girl's bike you can notice a small piece of paper in the front wheel it's a sort of a ticket you get when you go to alleycats, semi-secret races for fixed fanatics
christa
April 13, 2011 at 4:45 am
Shrink it and pink it, baby!
Bike messengers are the few authentically fierce individuals still roaming our city streets . . . Karl has already nicked their mitts, let's hope he leaves the shorts to the professionals . . .
you can call me mary...
April 13, 2011 at 8:47 am
anyone remember what it was like to be on that first bike and going down a bunny hill for the first time and pick up your feet? ahhhh, spring!
proletarian Great Gatsby
April 13, 2011 at 10:14 am
The last photo is a practical vision of Courreges and his white spacial fashion in the 60's.
Maryanne
April 13, 2011 at 10:52 am
chanel did the biker chain look in 1992.
Model Kristen Mcmenamy on the cover of italian vogue may 1992…complete with an oversize chain belt..
Chanel mixed up a few looks at that time..mixing biker with rapper..and the heavy chains were all part of that.
But the angularity of the biker chain in the first photo ( which reminds me of the necklace Michael Kors sent down the runway..2 years ago) would be a nice update and a retrospective at the same time.
J.Ro
April 13, 2011 at 11:34 am
This is bittersweet, Mr. Scott. My bike just was stolen last night; I may have to invest in a chain.
http://www.jrocomedy.blogspot.com
NY Fashionista
April 13, 2011 at 12:54 pm
I can't wait till I see this trend on the runway. You can say you called it !!
_________________________
Designer Fashion Market
Anonymous
April 13, 2011 at 3:03 pm
We use those chains in NYC entirely out of necessity.
When I moved to SF, I got a lot of funny looks until I realized I was getting called out for the "coooool, tough look." I don't own a U lock, so what else am I supposed to use in SF?
Anonymous
April 13, 2011 at 3:24 pm
i like your blog but i'm really against this post. I am a part of that bike culture and it's a significant part of my life. It's beautiful to because it's raw and flash at the same time. and for some reason which i'm struggling to put into words right now, this post makes it seem so silly.
i know fashion can be fun and lighthearted. i mean silly as in it suggests DIY seems far removed from it.
it screams for that Karl touch? please no.
sticking double c's on all of it? no really, please no!
Christina
April 13, 2011 at 3:28 pm
This post cracks me up. Karl needs you on his design team, Scott!
fridayswithcilantro.blogspot.com
john rogers
April 13, 2011 at 3:59 pm
that young lady is nyc messenger kate manning.
Anonymous
April 13, 2011 at 4:23 pm
You've been bikesnobbed.
I would definitely say the dude with the glasses is begging for a hot karl.
aroonietoons
April 13, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Betsy Johnson's Spring 2011 look was inspired by bicycles and had at least one model with a big ol' chain & lock draped over her shoulders.
Anonymous
April 13, 2011 at 5:44 pm
ha, you've been Bikesnobbed!
How about a Hot-Karl for dinner?
Anonymous
April 14, 2011 at 3:01 am
hipster locks already exists. No need for Karl.
http://www.hiplok.com/how/
woooo
April 16, 2011 at 6:36 am
amazing glasses…
Anonymous
April 16, 2011 at 11:15 am
TERRENCE KOH!
Sophistafunk
April 16, 2011 at 8:42 pm
The last fellow is my favorite.
BlingDuckFashion
April 18, 2011 at 7:24 am
the tattoos are to die-for! love, love these shots!
Joshua
April 19, 2011 at 3:32 am
Vivre la velo!! Good to see rolling up the pants as form following function.
Anonymous
April 19, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Burberry has just done a collection of men's activewear inspired by bike messengers!
Melissa
April 20, 2011 at 12:37 am
Minneapolis is the number one bike city in the US and the riders have a really unique style, different from anything else I've seen in other parts of the world. I'd definitely recommend making a trip….
Nicola
April 20, 2011 at 2:56 pm
The yellow cap and animal print tattoo won me over.. now I want to ride..
Mary Stramer
April 22, 2011 at 5:02 pm
new york i love you!!!
http://www.marystramer.blogspot.com
jennifer
April 23, 2011 at 12:07 am
i had been thinking about getting back into biking. after seeing how awesome this guy looks i think i will go through with it.