The Desire Edit - Getting the Band Back Together | Issue 20.3

The Desire Edit - Getting the Band Back Together | Issue 20.3

We're taking a trip down memory lane, looking at our favourite Desire Edits of the past 12 months. The third edit of 2020 struck a particular chord with the team, seeing as half of them have been in bands at some stage. Desire Editor, Stuart Clapp, takes us through his creative process, a look behind the curtain of Rouleur Desire.

5 minute read Desire Issue 20.3 Photos: Benedict Campbell Words: Stuart Clapp

On Saturday morning I always used to watch the Wide Awake Club on TV. The presenter, Timmy Mallett, used to play a word association game with two contestants called Mallett’s Mallet. He’d start with a word and the children would say one in turn until “the one with the most bruises, loses”. 

Timmy might start with the word ‘bike’ and the first contestant would say ‘wheel’ and their opponent might say ‘tyre’. You get the idea, I’m sure. 

“You mustn’t pause, you mustn’t hesitate otherwise you get a bash on the head like this or like this.” The day-glo presenter would bop the children on the head with his foam mallet. It was the ’80s... 

This game is similar to how I come up with ideas for Desire shoots (minus the mallet). For the issue that came out last September, when the UK hosted the World Championships, I opted for a British theme. Britain? Spitfire! Then all I had to do was find a Spitfire. 

The shoot for 20.3 was inspired by the heavy metal band, Motlëy Crüe, after I’d received a pair of leopard print cycling shorts from Lumiere. When I got them, I called in kit to fit the rock’n’roll aesthetic, such as a pink zebra print kit from Paria and Pit Viper shades and then went about sourcing an appropriate location to shoot it all in. We used SS2 Recording in Southend, which is owned by an old friend of mine called, Sam Duckworth, aka Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly. 

For this one, POC sent over an Octal helmet for us to set fire to. This was an homage to the famous shot of Jimi Hendrix at Monterey. You know the photo of him setting fire to his guitar on stage? It’s iconic. Benedict’s photography in this shoot is outstanding. 

I love this shoot, for me it’s definitely one of our finest, largely for the amount of fun we had doing it. I think the fun element is very apparent when you see the feature in the magazine. Good times.

Miles dressed head to toe in Lumiere | Lumiere Cycling

Di Luca

Di Luca Killer, Killer by name, killer by nature

Paria on fire - guyliner, model's own

Ultimate disco Italiano - Passoni Vinci, too hot to handle

Hexr Astra Edition

All that glitters by HEXR

Melon Optics

Melon Optics Alleycat, beat crazy

Mavic Comete Ultimate

Mavic Comete Ultimate too, no socks required

Isadore get funky with their recycled Alternative line, matching lid from HJC

The masters of Merino, Stu in ashmei, inspired by the Croix de Fer

CHPT3 Love Hate

CHPT3 rhythm section. Love/ hate?

Alba Optics Stratos
Ebony and ivory from Alba Optics with Stratos

Fizik Powerstrap

Fizik Vento Aeroweave R2 Powerstrap - a bit of a mouthful

Pit Viper

 Coveted and colourful, shades from Pit Viper

 Sarto's Seta+ complete with wide-tyre capabilities
DL Killer KS2, in rockstar silver

Hmm this looks familiar...kit from Lumiere, helmet, formally known as a POC Octal

Miles got a brand new fuzzbox. And Albion kit. And POC Aspire shades

 

5 minute read Desire Issue 20.3 Photos: Benedict Campbell Words: Stuart Clapp

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