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The Look of La Vie Claire

By Joe Hall • 16th July 2009 02:14pm • Posted in Art & Design

Inspired by the compositions of De Stijl artist Piet Mondriaan, the panels of blue, red, yellow and grey, broken up by black grid lines make for one of the most distinctive team kits ever seen in the peloton. The original jersey was designed by Italian clothing brand Benetton, which is perhaps why, amongst the sea of brand names and bright colours, this design stands out. La Vie Claire was also one of the first teams to use synthetic fibres in their kit.

The team was created in 1984 by Bernard Hinault, Bernard Tapie and Paul Koechli and recruited Greg LeMond with a record-breaking one million dollar contract. They also signed another young American, Andy Hampsten. In 1985 Hinault won the Tour and LeMond rode to victory in ’86, Hampsten won the maillot blanc in the same year and finished fourth overall.

In 1988 La Vie Claire departed as the team’s main sponsor. Various sponsorship partners featured on the jersey including French company Look who, in 1989, provided the team with state-of-the-art carbon frames and forks. Look were also the inventor of clipless pedals, which the team sported. The squad additionally began using heart rate monitors, another new-school element of a modern team that helped pace the sport into a new era.

Comments

Andy Storey

16th July 2009 01:41pm

yes, a lovely looking jersey. I see Prendas have a nice replica now too http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=2239

Alastair Baglee

17th July 2009 06:57pm

Yeh, and this wasn't the only place that Mondriaan's influence entered cycling.

Jack Taylor, the old frame builder from Stockton-on-Tees, UK had their second generation of frame logos inspired by De Stijl. Designed by a Californian customer of Jack Taylor's, coincidentally from Stockton in California, they were a real departure from the original 'Gothic' logos that Jack Taylor used to use.

See what I mean at: http://www.blackbirdsf.org/taylor/transfers.html

The French company 'Look' is similarly inspired by De Stijl…

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