Commonplace's cycling jersey competition

by Ludovic Caritey

University of the Arts (UAL) students are being invited to design a cycling jersey celebrating London, the Olympic Games and the huge cycling contingent at the university.

The winner will receive a share of profits from sales of the jersey, a £50 voucher, as well as two of the Milltag-produced jerseys.

The competition is organised by UAL website Commonplace, along with Ed Cowburn of cycling clothes website Milltag, and Derek Yates, the Course Leader of Camberwell FdA Graphic Design and Illustration course.

Several courses at Camberwell and CSM are running the quest as a live project brief.

Creative force

Siobhan Clay, the project co-ordinator for Commonplace, said: “We’re a massive creative force at UAL and many of us are on bikes, so we thought it was a good way to harness that creativity, get the competitive juices flowing and make some brilliant cycle jerseys that really capture London and the spirit of the place.

“We also think it’s a good idea because it makes the connection with study and graduation; to be working with an alumnus of UAL on an outward facing project is a great opportunity.”

UAL graduate Cowburn, a passionate cyclist and graphic designer, started Milltag in 2010. The company creates high quality cycling jerseys in collaboration with leading artists and designers from around the world.

Cowburn was keen ‘to give something back’ as he had such a good experience during his time at Camberwell and will take the winner though the studio and production processes involved.

Inspire

He told Arts London News: “I hope the competition we have created provides students with a sense of how a live project works and, perhaps more importantly, the opportunity to get paid for their efforts, something that we all find difficult when starting off in the industry.

“Hopefully it will inspire them to explore areas that are outside their normal sphere of interest in future (such as cycling), that could really use an injection of new, young, creative talent.”

Clay sees also a good opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers facing cyclists in London and supports ALN’s Right to Ride Campaign: “I’m a daily cyclist into, through and around central London and I have to say the fun’s starting to wear off! I love the freedom cycling gives me but there is very little allowance for cyclists to go about the roads in real safety,” she said.

The deadline for submissions is March 5 and an exhibition will take place early this summer, when the winner and 3 runners up will be unveiled.