BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Mon, 12 Aug 2024 – Sun, 18 Aug 2024 sees the third edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift take place, and for one team – Human Powered Health – the race represents the ideal opportunity to showcase a first of its kind collaboration.
Human Powered Health cyclists racing the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be sporting jerseys designed by an acclaimed and emerging fashion house, Maisie Wilen.
The changeout new uniforms reflect Human Powered Health’s brand colour gradient, with a design inspired by the flowing aerodynamics and markings of fish scales.
The pattern, a variation of a print used previously in the Maisie Wilen collection, was selected after months of careful consideration and collaboration with a design team led by Maisie Wilen’s Founder and Creative Director, Maisie Schloss, along with Human Powered Health’s Chief Creative Officer, Sam Wiebe.
“Maisie is incredible to work with. She brought an entirely unique vision and approach to the new kits,” said Wiebe.
“We wanted to do something distinctive for this year’s race and her design will absolutely turn heads.”
“I immediately jumped at the opportunity to bring Maisie Wilen’s unique aesthetic to one of the biggest women’s sporting events in the world,” says Schloss.
“Human Powered Health Cycling is made up of such inspiring, strong athletes and I’m honoured to be a part of this incredible event.”
The new design will be implemented across the team’s full line of racing apparel line that includes a jersey and a vest, and a specially painted new generation Ostro VAM by premium performance bicycle brand and Human Powered Health sponsor, Factor Bikes.
Designed and developed for all-round speed, the new model has been shaped around precisely managed aerodynamic gains while offering athletes an uncompromised and highly responsive racing bike.
The bike will be available for purchase through Factor bikes, and the racing kits in both men’s and women’s sizes can be purchased for a limited time on Pactimo.com beginning next month.
Of the collaboration Human Powered Health Managing Director Charles Aaron comments: “For Human Powered Health, women’s cycling represents the pinnacle of endurance athletics.
“As women’s sports enjoy long overdue growth and greater exposure around the world, we felt that it was the perfect time to celebrate with Maisie’s standout design work.”
Women’s sport, sponsorship and brand collaborations
The global rise in profile of women’s sport has seen a significant shift in the sponsorship and brand collaboration landscape, with new opportunities for brands, businesses, and sports organisations, to unlock value unique to a fast growing fan base.
Authentic partnerships, where brands take a pioneering view of their involvement, represent a significant opportunity.
Brands spend heavily to tell people what they stand for. Women’s sporting sponsorship presents the opportunity to show what brands stand for. Actions speak louder than words, and a rapidly growing women’s sports fan base is watching.
- Charlotte Tilbury announced its first-ever global sports sponsorship: becoming the first female-founded brand and the first beauty brand to sponsor F1 ACADEMY
Currently 40% of F1 fans are female, contributing to a total 2022 season viewership of over 1.5bn.
- Fifa sold out all 2023 Women’s World Cup sponsorship packages
Soccer’s governing body added 18 extra tournament partners compared to 2019. Fifa’s partnership programme has grown from 12 partners at the 2019 Women’s World Cup to 30 for this year’s edition, representing a 150 per cent increase.
The tournament saw nearly 2 million tickets sold and record attendances.
SportsPro previously highlighted research which found the “UK population more likely to buy from brands sponsoring women’s sport.”
