FACE Stockholm for Skeppshult Special Edition Bicycle
FACE Stockholm might not be a household name stateside, but across the pond, it’s one of the biggest beauty brands in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Face has a trio of shops in New York City (including a must-visit spot inside the Time Warner Center near Columbus Circle) and if the name sounds a bit familiar, you’ve probably seen a selection of the brand’s polishes inside your local J. Crew store — their bright pinks and oranges are some of Jenna’s favorites. The brand is going beyond beauty, however, teaming up with fellow Swedish brand Skeppshult for a collection of city-ready bicycles that match with a selection of the brand’s nail polishes.
“Biking is a big part of life in Sweden,” says Martina Arfwidson, who currently co-runs FACE business from Hudson, New York. Her mother, Gun Nowak, tackles the brand back home in Stockholm.
FACE Stockholm polishes
With over 100 shades of nail polish available, the hardest part of the collab, according to Arfwidson, was narrowing down the options to just six hues. The result is a handful of bikes that carries the elegant, playful characteristics of nail polish with a century of biking heritage thanks to the technology inside each Skeppshult bicycle. Tour de France ready they’re not, but for pedaling from borough to borough or farmers market to music festival, they’re pretty much perfect.
“The idea of holding onto the handlebars with your matching manicure, it was just so silly and joyful and fun,” adds Arfwidson.
The bikes are reminiscent of a style that Skeppshult released in the 1920’s and comes complete with twisted leather handles (a brand signature) as well as a tanned leather saddle and handy basket to stow your baguettes, fresh flowers and organic vegetables (or, if you’re more like us, newspapers, your erstwhile cross-body bag and a bottle of water). It’s not all looks though, thanks to a load of Shimano components, seven gears for getting around easier and protective fenders and a gear cover to keep road scum from splashing up onto your clothes. Looks that function? That’s a collab we’ll definitely get behind.
The FACE Stockholm for Skeppshult bicycle ($1,750) is available now. For more information, visit the FACE Stockholm Web site.
Images courtesy FACE Stockholm.
