Gear News

Alex Dowsett hands out inaugural Endura Prize at launch of endura.me

Art student Eve Campbell scoops £5,000 prize for jersey designed on Endura's new online custom kit software

Shopping online for a new jersey can often be quite boring. ‘Do I go for this expensive plain black jersey or do I go for this other expensive plain black jersey?’ The monotony of it all will leave your wardrobe clad in similar-looking lycra.

Endura’s new online design tool, endura.me, looks to change that, by allowing users to upload individual designs in order to create their own custom kit.

The Scottish kit manufacturer, best known for dependable all-weather clothing and, more recently, decking out the Movistar WorldTour team, launched endura.me in London last week by bringing together twelve of Britain’s most talented art students, who had submitted designs in a competition to win the inaugural Endura Prize.

Movistar rider Alex Dowsett presents Eve Campbell, winner of the inaugural Endura Prize, with a cheque for £5,000

Scottish art student Eve Campbell, whose design, dubbed ‘Verge 2’, saw off 11 other unique jerseys, took home the £5,000 cheque, presented by five-time national time trial champion and Movistar rider Alex Dowsett. The Glasgow School of Art student took inspiration from sailing trips off of the coast of her native Scotland to create her abstract design.

“Endura.me is an exceptionally simple process that can completely transform garments with an infinite number of unique designs,” said Campbell. However, despite taking home the £5,000 prize, Campbell commented on how, as an artist, she could not help but find faults in her design and how “she would love to be able to improve her work”.

When presenting Campbell with the cheque, Dowsett commented on the “out there” designs on display. With all twelve entrants having no substantial connection to cycling, it was clear to see their influences had been completely unique. Dowsett also praised the distinctiveness of each the finalists’ designs, adding: “Riding for Movistar, I have get used to wearing the same kit, day in, day out for three years, so it is great to see such individual ideas.”

Endura.me is now fully available to the public to use. The online software allows users to upload a design via Adobe Illustrator or other approved packages and places it onto a two-dimensional template, before projecting the design onto a three-dimensional template to visualise the alignment of your work on the jersey. Riders can also design their own shorts, with no minimum order. Endura say your bespoke kit will be manufactured from its Scottish factory and dispatched within three weeks.

Campbell’s design was inspired by sailing trips off of the coast of her native Scotland

Prices start at £79 for Endura’s ‘classic jersey’, with the WorldTour race jersey ridden by the Movistar and Cervelo-Bigla race teams costing £99. The accompanying WorldTour bib shorts are £129 with a hem graphic and £139 for a full graphic.

With no minimum order, endura.me looks to offer a unique and innovative route into creating custom kit. How long until we see other clothing manufacturers following suit?