Rapha and Team Sky to part ways at end of 2016

hampstead_bandit wrote:

Or can clothing be sold to these customers through the Rapha website? Surely clothing needs to be tried in person, especially when spending top dollar

Wouldn't be surprised if they were going via their own retail model, keeps the brand aspirational as they grow. I've only ever bought from them online (as have most riding pals who buy Rapha) so I'm sure it won't be an issue. It helps that the service is top notch, simple returns etc.

hampstead_bandit wrote:

Or can clothing be sold to these customers through the Rapha website? Surely clothing needs to be tried in person, especially when spending top dollar

I tend to buy all my clothing online (cycling or otherwise) and have doen so with Rapha. Easy returns and fast delivery make it less of a chore if something doesn't fit. It's about service I guess.

I wonder if Rapha's relationship with Team Sky almost had a negative effect on its perception among those with the cash to spend on it. They want something exclusive and hard to obtain, not something that 'anyone' can have through team 'lookalike' kit. It bought the exclusive into the mainstream and while that's great for short term growth, it's not necessarily great for Rapha's brand positioning, This as much as the quality of its clothes, has been the key to success.

tombourne wrote:

I wonder if Rapha's relationship with Team Sky almost had a negative effect on its perception among those with the cash to spend on it. They want something exclusive and hard to obtain, not something that 'anyone' can have through team 'lookalike' kit. It bought the exclusive into the mainstream and while that's great for short term growth, it's not necessarily great for Rapha's brand positioning, This as much as the quality of its clothes, has been the key to success.

I half jokingly wondered that too, all us team sky top wearers with our non italian styled body shapes  slowly diluting the brand but I dont think they are that up their own fundamentals to pull that kind of move,it was a good partnership that worked exceedingly well for them I think, and I remember from one of Ned Boultings books, how much effort he described Simon Mottram put in, just to set the deal up in the first place, that letter feels almost melancholy in tone, yes we will continue to do some things but we cant tell you about them yet, errr ok then, whilst Skys response has been limited to less than 140chars long on their twitter account simply reconfirming things.

has David Millars clothing line launched yet...

hampstead_bandit wrote:

 Or can clothing be sold to these customers through the Rapha website? Surely clothing needs to be tried in person, especially when spending top dollar

You'd think so, wouldn't you?   I think most retailers and retail analysts did, too.  But in the bike world, at least, clothing is the area that is dying fastest in the shops and growing fastest online.

jarderich wrote:

Milltag or Morvelo for Team Sky deal?

Doubt it - reckon it'll almost certainly be a another "aspirational" brand like Assos or Castelli