Wallpaper* and Rapha + Paul Smith Handmade Ride

Salone del Mobile regulars know the best way to get around the city in the spring sunshine is on two wheels with a breeze in your hair, so we decided to join them with our own 40-bike ride-out starting from our Handmade exhibition at Brioni HQ. Being Wallpaper*, we weren’t content with just any steel steed between our legs, so we borrowed a pile of minimal, eye-catching Gazzetta steel track frames from cult Italian bike maker Cinelli and sent them out to be customised by some of our friends.

Architect John Pawson, designers Max Lamb, Michael Marriott and Nina Tolstrup, and Wallpaper* art director Meirion Pritchard gave the frames their own twist. And, of course, we needed togs from the best, so we commissioned a special cycling kit from Rapha + Paul Smith.

On the morning of Friday 15th April, our troop of cyclists took to the streets. The designers, the Wallpaper* team, Rapha CEO Simon Mottram and selected guests were put through their paces by pro cyclist David Millar. As well as Cinelli bikes, guests came aboard their own bespoke bicycles; five rides kindly lent by Rossignoli, thanks to Matia Bonato and Crane.tv’s Constantin Bjerke; and a further six lent by Taurus Biciclette (including a new beech wood prototype), courtesy of Dimitri Orlandi. After taking in the city’s landmarks, we arrived in time for lunch and prosecco at Paul Smith’s showroom on Viale Umbria.