Project One
Project One is the industry-leading custom bicycle program that allows riders to choose their parts, paint, and personalization to create their dream bike. In addition to creating the design framework and color options, I founded the upper echelon of the program, called Icon, which pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in premium paint and artistically driven concepts. The project highlighted below features eight unique designs launched at the Tour de France and raced by the eight riders of the Lidl/Trek team.
Pantone Dualities x Trek
Global color management pioneer Pantone approached Trek to become an early adopter of 175 new colors, called Dualities, that combine new-age pastels with shadowy neutrals. The bike I designed using Dualities was inspired by clouds and the hues of a setting sun, as you might see on a bicycle commute home. This bike debuted at the 2024 Adobe Max Conference in Miami Beach.
Palmarès
Cycling is steeped in a rich tradition of jerseys and color palettes. I undertook a deep research assignment to catalog Trek’s decades of participation in racing at the highest levels. I created this design with quilt-inspired depictions of iconic team kits and champion jerseys from Trek’s vast history of sponsorships and race victories.
Raw Lithos
Raw Lithos uses organic materials to create a picturesque paint scheme inspired by layers of mountains cast in a desert sun. The warm earthen tones were created with EnvironOxide™ pigments, which were made using excess minerals cleaned from community waterways. This project was the first instance of several new sustainable processes in a high-end production paint setting.
The Olympics
Two projects for two different summer games: First Light for Tokyo, and Tête de La Course for Paris. For the first of these Olympic assignments, I had the opportunity to travel to Japan for an inspiration trip. I was struck by a photo of the sun rising over the ocean and thought about how that marked the first hours of a day that would soon spread to the rest of the world. This snapshot become the basis for a six-color fade. For Paris, I was captivated by the City of Lights as well as the glass architecture of the Grand Palais and the Louvre. For both projects, the goal was to create something that stood out among a multitude of national team kit colors and was unmistakable on TV.
A Roubaix Story
At the conclusion of the spring classic Paris Roubaix, the riders clean off the day’s dust, mud, sweat, and blood in the showers at the hallowed velodrome complex. So storied is this setting that each champion gets a placard in their own shower stall the following year. I pulled the color palette and textures from the shower’s stone walls and the locker room’s peeling painted walls to appeal to fans in the know.
100% Colab
The Korbin X sunglass by 100 Percent was created to give a nostalgic nod to the past while using futuristic technology. 100 Percent asked me to create a bike for shared ambassador Sven Nys to ride for a photoshoot. I looked to the historic Klein gator fade and colors for inspiration. I liked the end product so much that we partnered with 100 Percent to commercialize 100 limited-edition Project One bikes that come with a pair of glasses.
Shimano 100th Anniversary
For the 100th anniversary of the cycling industry’s most popular component brand, I proposed the concept of “Kintsugi” — something that’s forever valued and even more treasured for enduring. This bike was presented to Shimano and is on display at their corporate headquarters in Japan. The seat tube badge I designed was custom made in brass by a renowned custom jeweler.
Shimano United in Gravel
For the next Shimano collaboration, I celebrated their United in Gravel campaign by incorporating their colors and patterns in a playful and energetic composition to appeal to the growing gravel audience. The bike is on display at gravel events around the world.
Icons Through the Years
Icon is an idea I had to bring unexpected designs and premium craftsmanship to market. Since the time I created, proposed, and launched Icon six years ago, the program has made millions of dollars in additional paint sales alone. Here are a few of my favorite designs, which I developed with the paint team.
