• Hand stitched locally to ensure quality and personal relationships with craftspeople. Faster reaction times. Better karma. • Use the best materials you can source, not the cheapest you can get away with. • Design the fit for the riding position. • Start with the design, the materials and the process and let that drive the pricing. • Don’t sacrifice the vision or the values to meet a price point. If no one buys our jerseys it means our values are not shared, not that we should change them.
The biggest considerations from day one were always to improve the fit and the aesthetic design of the jersey. My designs emerged with higher collars and longer sleeves partly from my love of european soccer jersey design. I wanted a distinct look that would be recognizable without the need for a big logo and also loved the feel of smooth longer sleeves. The fitting sessions were done on a bike where the riding position dictated the patterns for lengths and fits (especially around the arms/neck). I stamped the design as final when I would wear the prototypes two or three days in a row – dirty vs. putting on one of my other clean jerseys. I am proud of the Donkey Label jerseys and look forward to the feedback from discerning cyclists.
Cycling is a sport where fashion has always been a component. Looking good on and off your bike is something we should all strive for. I love the grateful dead, but I feel strongly that one can show respect for both Jerry and Cycling by not combining the two. Our approach is to design simple, clean, high performance jerseys that also say something about all of us and the aesthetic of the great sport of cycling.
Step 1. If you are interested in a custom tailored jersey, send us a postcard: (yes a postcard – support your local post office and see if you can still write with a pen) Donkey Label 2740 31st ave S. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406 Include the vitals – Something unique about yourself, your name, your email address, your return address, your sex and age)
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