Rapha releases first cycling-specific hijab as part of new modest-wear collection

Clothing brand Rapha has launched its spring/summer women's campaign for 2024 called ‘How we ride’. The brand says that it “captures the essence of what it means to be a woman in cycling - to be unapologetic, to break barriers, and to redefine the image of a cyclist.”

As part of the campaign, Rapha has revealed a new range of women's specific clothing that has been designed from the ground up by an all-female team. Upon its launch, the brand said, “Rapha Women is a new and expanded range of women’s riding apparel developed through years of research.

"The result is a range of all-new and unique silhouettes, including the Women’s Padded Skort, Women’s Rapha Wind Gilet, Women’s Rapha Jersey, Women’s Rapha Wind Jacket, Women’s Cropped Cargo Top and Women’s Regular Cargo Shorts, to offer more options for self-expression to women on the bike.”

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For a first in cycling, Rapha joins the likes of Nike and Adidas in offering a sport-friendly Hijab along with a loose-fitting long-sleeve jersey and padded trousers making up the first cycling-specific 'modest' range of clothing. These garments have been designed in collaboration with London-based cycling collective Cycle Sisters which is an award-winning charity that aims to inspire and enable Muslim women to cycle, without compromising on style or performance.

© Rapha

Rapha's new 'How we ride' campaign aims to inspire women to ride their bikes

Lauren Hunt, Women’s Apparel Designer at Rapha had this to say on the launch of the new campaign: “It was really exciting to take on a project like this and work with an all-women team to create a whole new collection that enables women to express themselves and feel comfortable and confident on the bike.”

“Working with Cycle Sisters on our modest wear offering was invaluable to our research and development process. During our focus groups, we found that Muslim women were often wearing men’s kit in order to have a relaxed and covered fit, but this created distractions while riding and didn’t enhance their performance. We’re incredibly proud to offer a full outfit that offers additional coverage and reduces layering, thus improving comfort and optimising performance on the bike.”

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The campaign also shares the stories of female five cyclists: Amy, Samra, Arame, Ahlam, and Bel, who share their unique perspectives on what it means to be a woman in cycling. The stories share both the positive and negative elements of being a woman in a male-dominated environment with the aim of inspiring more women to jump on a bike and enjoy cycling.

For the full details on the new clothing collection head over to Rapha’s website and you can also read each of the five stories on their website as well.

What do you think of the new collection, will you be adding any of it to your shopping list? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Rapha

Rapha is a cycling clothing manufacturer based in London, England. The company produces premium clothing for road and gravel cycling, mountain biking, and a lifestyle range too.