I spent 3.5 years creating my own clothing brand from scratch and I wanted to share

Hi everyone, want to be upfront this is my project I know reddit can be rightfully sensitive about self promotion but I just wanted to share it with this community as I really enjoy reading all the posts on here. 

Three and a half years ago, I was racing full-time in Europe and doing bits of work in the industry. That meant I was getting a behind the scenes look at how some cycling clothing brands actually operate. I was lucky I got kit either free or heavily discounted through industry friends but it always stuck with me that there wasn’t really a brand built for the community, where you could get genuinely world-class kit without the massive price tag. So I started experimenting with making my own.

A big chunk of that time vanished when I was hit by a drug driver training and ended up with a broken back and neck. There was a long stretch of learning to walk again, rehab, the whole thing. I can’t race anymore, so launching this is a bit of a personal comeback for me as well.

The whole idea behind the brand is to build something for the people I’ve met along the way. I’m doing that through a membership model, kind of like Costco. An annual membership unlocks exclusive pricing on all the kit and other benefits. It’s a mindset shift compared to traditional retail, but honestly, after years of reading comments here and elsewhere, it’s pretty clear everyone’s exhausted by £270+ bib tights and constant sale cycles.

The membership gives the brand stability, but more importantly, it flips the value back to the rider. If my friends are buying kit, I’d rather they saved enough to go on a cycling holiday than spend a fortune on the kit they want/need. I don’t think we should have to wait for Black Friday, cross our fingers for stock, or gamble on whether the brand raised the price the week before.

For the winter and summer collections, I used the best kit I’ve worn over the years as the benchmark as well as independent reviews. I worked with factories and used the best fabrics and chamois as well as working on seam placement in the templates, all of it. I didn’t want to compromise anywhere. Friends and I have tested every iteration and learnt so much seam tweaks on the tights, silicone logos so they don’t crack or peel, details like that. The first collections are pretty understated because that’s honestly how I dress off the bike too subtle, clean, and hopefully timeless.

I launched this week ironically during Black Friday but delays outside of my control with website coding forced my hand. If you’re interested in taking a look or giving feedback good or bad I’d genuinely appreciate it. I’ll answer any questions. Ultimately, I’m just trying to do something positive for a sport and community I love. Its www.amolaruta.com I said I'm not self promoting but any support for the launch would be massively appreciated!