As lovers of great design we have admired Tracey Neuls shoe designs for a long time. Their Geek shoes, crafted in reflective fabric with a strong moulded rubber sole, have been on the lust list for urban cyclists since their creation 15 years ago - the perfect combination between style and function, and just like our bags, they are designed to take you from day to night without compromising on style.
So as the Autumn days offer beautiful cycling weather (most of the time), we have teamed up with Tracey Neuls for a reciprocal offer. If you have bought one of our cycle bags, then you are entitled to £20 off a pair of Tracey Neuls Men's or Women's reflective footwear, perfectly designed for cycling. Together we will provide you with a beautiful ride this Autumn. (Full details of the offer below)
To celebrate this collaboration we put some questions to Tracey herself to find out what inspires her designs, whats coming next and who she would ride tandem with.
The Geek shoe seems to be built for cyclists - is cycling what inspired it?
Yes and no. So many of our customers wore them in their varying colours outside of reflective. Then when we really looked into it, the heel sits perfectly on a peddle and the inner metal shank supports the foot atop the peddle too. After finding out that the design of some 15 years ago was the perfect bike shoe, then we began to experiment with safety materials like our current all reflective grey and reflective black textile.
Tell me about your shoe designing process? And what is so unique about the Geek shoe?
I adore the Geek because it has stood the test of time. It originated with a leather chunk sole and then morphed into a rubber sole, still the same mould you see today. For any shoe I think about trying to have one single shoe that takes you from AM to PM, is smart, cool, comfortable and different to what you might find.
I have a pair of the Stardust Heels which I am obsessed with. Where do you get your inspiration from for your designs?
The first element is the wearer. I want them to be original, comfortable and feel that they bought a good timeless piece of design. The fact that a shoe sits on the foot in conjunction with the ankle, leg and upwards isn’t taken lightly and you can tell this is important to me as a designer because you’ll notice the shoe looks even better on the foot. My signature is inspired by the silhouette and trying to remove as much internal information as possible. The simplicity of a shoe can then either be left with a solid material or painted like a blank canvas allowing for engaging leathers or prints. The stardust suede as used on our pump Stud, is delicate and elegant yet strong and utilitarian. These contrasts appeal to me.
If it is still possible to plan for the future at the moment - What have you got planned over the next few months?
At the moment we are working on the next summer collection into 2021. Not to mention that this winter, imminently we will be introducing a new shape and heel. Can’t wait to present it!
If you could tandem cycle with anyone, who would it be and where would you go?
I think I might like to bike with Noel Fielding. I don’t care where we go, I just love the idea of a banter and a belly laugh.
Us Cyclists love a cafe stop. Which is your favourite hidden gem of a cafe in London?
The TowPath is great. It's literally just on the edge of the canal paths in Islington.
Tracey Neuls stores are open at the moment in Kings Cross and Marylebone and they are also shipping internationally via their website.
To take advantage of our reciprocal £20 off offer, just contact us with proof of purchase and we will send you the discount code to use to purchase any of their reflective shoe range.
