The most comfortable cycling shoes in the world, designed from the sole.

Rapha ‘Classic’ and ‘Explore’ Shoes

When Rapha decided to enter the shoe market with their own signature products, they did so from a blank canvas — completely rethinking and revolutionising the way they could be designed. Drawing on decades of experience from industry leaders in their design team, Rapha’s revolutionary new shoes were developed over five years, through six evolutions of the product, and over 35,000 kilometres of wear-testing across four continents, to successfully create the world’s most comfortable cycling shoes.

We worked alongside the incredible team at Rapha to launch these category-redefining products. In something of a new direction for the brand, our campaign used a rich mix of media to place the products at the very heart of the Rapha landscape, focusing on their innovative performance features, and bringing to life the ideas behind their design.

3D motion and stills details created in collaboration with Tomaszewicz Studio, carefully juxtaposed with emotive campaign imagery and film, placed the product at the heart of the Rapha landscape.

Part one of our production focused on the road-cycling-specific ‘Classic Shoe’. Shot in the hills outside Los Angeles by photographer Cait Oppermann, and filmed by George Marshall, the campaign compositions featured an optimistic bright blue inspired by Californian skies.

Elsewhere, for the website and social platforms, we created 3D stills and motion stories that focus on design details and individual product benefits such as the carbon footplate, non-slip sole and double-wall lacing system.

The second part of the shoot took place in Australia and featured the off-road ‘Explore Shoe’. Photographed by Jake Stangel and filmed by Samuel Craven, the earthy colour palette that tied this half of the campaign visuals together reflected the landscapes beyond Adelaide where it was shot.

Once again, we created a series of expressive 3D images and animations for digital and social platforms that bring product benefits to life, such as the walkable carbon footplate and the full traction composite sole.

Large-scale renders of half ‘Classic Shoe’, half ‘Explore Shoe’ were displayed in Rapha’s clubhouses around the world, announcing the release of these two category-defining products and providing the last piece in the customer journey.

The project proved a real highlight for us, and with so many brilliant people involved there are almost too many to name, but let’s give it a go…

Thank–yous & Credits

Creative Director: Alex Valdman
Concept and Art Direction: Bravo. Charlie. Mike. Hotel.
Rapha Team: James Fairbank, Oli Duggan, Ger Tierney, Jack Saunders and Arabella Swan
3D Motion: Peter Tomaszewicz at Tomaszewicz Studio
Film: George Marshall and Samuel Craven
Edit: Ross Hallard at Trim
Grade: Jevgeni Repponen
Music and Sound Design: Jack Sedgwick
Photography: Cait Oppermann and Jake Stangel
Brand Producer: Kimberley English