Lexi Miller, a new women’s clothing company out of of San Francisco, wants to give female cyclists some better options when it comes to picking out clothing for biking. Instead of kits emblazoned with company logos and designs modified from men’s kit, Lexi Miller hopes to bring a touch of fashion and fit uniquely designed for women. The small, initial line-up offers simple designs and a good set of basics to get any woman outfitted in style and out on the road. Hop past the fold with us to take a closer look…
Lexi Miller as a brand is the brainchild of founder Alexis Benson (no relation to the author, I promise) who was never satisfied with the “flowery, fuchsia mess” that makes up the majority of the women’s cycling market. The line, produced entirely in San Francisco, is put together with the highest quality and performance Italian, Swiss and French textiles, with its own distinct style. The brands starts today with three core jersey designs that each flatter or accentuate a different body shape, as well as key basics like shorts, knickers, and warmers for a woman’s body. The tailored cuts lends a feminine, but athletic design for women who want to blend a passion for both fashion and cycling. Lexi puts a lot of focus on fit and how the clothing can have an anatomy just like a the women wearing it, thus the shaping of the line-up is more detailed than the simple forms and printed on patterns of most cycling clothing. And sizing isn’t a S-L deal, but everything comes in a 2-12 size range to better ensure proper fits.
By designing with the anatomy of the cyclist the clothing better caters to women of different body types across the full sizing range and allows the fabric to move with the body for a more comfortable and athletic fit and function. Lexi’s first design the $145 Wrapture jersey, takes pride of place in the line in either pink, white, or black. Based on the design of a wrap dress, it provides an alternate to zippers and halter tops, but still delivers performance on the bike. Like all of the new jerseys, this one includes 3 large pockets out back, something very often lacking in most women’s cycling kit.
The Hourglass jersey retails for $195 with its waist and emphasized curves, while the $175 Corset jersey mimics the figure-hugging form, but not comfort or function of an actual corset. The $55 Patchy arm and $75 Patchy knee warmers stay in place with wide silicone-backed grippers (no narrow elastic, sausage-inducing bands) and add doubled fabric patches over the elbows and knees for a bit of extra warmth on the joints and a little more protection.
Lexi sees the Long Black Short as the little black dress of the cycling world as an essential staple for every cyclist. The design of the $170 shorts eliminates the elastic waistband with a more natural v-shaped waist for a less restrictive and more comfortable fit, by using multiple materials with varying stretch and compression around the waist and legs for a secure on-the-bike fit. They also use a premium Cytech triple-density chamois for long distance comfort.