Meet the Bike Inspired by The Hunger Games
When Specialized graphic designer, Ivee Isidro, set out to create the design that would adorn the first women’s frame (an S-Works Amira SL4) in the company’s semi-custom S-Build program, she was listening to the Hunger Games soundtrack.
She’d already been sketching a picture of a woman, but the music got her thinking. “I wanted the design for this bike to stand for something,” Isidro says.
Contemplating the story’s gutsy heroine, Katniss, Isidro played with the idea of a woman on a quest to find out who she is and who she can become. “Her passion comes from her heart and her desire to reach beyond the mountains,” Isidro says. “It might sound cheesy, but that’s kinda how I feel when I ride my bike. We push ourselves further because we know that there is something worth it on the other side. The design is made of conviction, compassion, and dreams.”
Isidro, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, says she’s influenced by Asian pop culture, including anime, as well as of-the-moment fashion. Look closely at the eye-catching black-and-white graphic and you see a woman’s face emerging from a kaleidoscopic design. “Geometric patterns were trending when I was doing this,” she says. “And there’s just something about a kaleidoscope. With a simple turn of the mechanism, the image changes entirely, but it’s new and equally beautiful every time.”
This idea of fractured identity and metamorphosis represents the woman who rides the Amira, says Stephanie Kaplan, women’s product manager at Specialized. “In the office she might be one thing,” Kaplan explains, “but on weekends she becomes a superhero.”
The bold design pops on the mostly white frame, along with swatches of fuchsia and tangerine. What doesn’t stand out? Specialized branding. You have to look carefully for the black chrome ‘S’ head-tube badge and the black S-Works decal on the black-painted seat tube. That’s intentional. “We didn’t want anything to interfere with the artwork,” Kaplan says.
Specialized made only 25 frames with this graphic, and Kaplan acknowledges that it won’t be for everyone. “We’re totally OK if it’s not your thing,” she says. “But it is someone’s thing.” Perhaps telling: With zero consumer marketing save for one Instagram post, the company has already sold nearly half the run. “It was nerve-wracking to whittle down the concept, but it’s been so satisfying to see the response,” Kaplan says.
The company plans more limited-edition graphics for the Amira that will showcase the artistic breadth of their in-house talent. They’ve dubbed this one “Vogue,” and Kaplan hinted at a rhyming alter ego for the next one.
If such a dramatic design is too out there for you, other Amira frames in the S-Build program come in simple black-on-black or Boels Dolmans livery. (The S-Works Amira SL4 is the same frame ridden by the team, which includes American star, Evelyn Stevens; US national road champion, Megan Guarnier; and world road champion, Lizzie Armitstead.)
About the S-Build Program
Customers work with a Specialized dealer to choose from select S-Works frames (the Tarmac, Epic, or Amira) and outfit the bike to their specifications. It means you don’t have to settle for the standard parts package. Instead, you can select exactly which components you want, from drivetrain to bar tape. The program also gives you access to exclusive paint and graphics not otherwise available. Base price for the S-Works Amira SL4 Vogue frameset is $3,750.
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