We're excited to reveal our new, limited edition color for summer 2024: Mint. Due to be released on a small batch of our award-winning Cruisers, this stunning yet subtle shade is sure to turn heads. We quickly caught up with our VP of Design, Richard Bone, to find out a bit more about our colorways, his process, and why you'll never see a canary-yellow Cowboy.
Hi Rich, could you give us a top-line overview of how Cowboy colors come to be?
Like lots of beautifully simple things, there's actually a ton of work that goes into creating our colors. Whereas many bike brands simply pick colors from a set list, we at Cowboy create ours from scratch. In this instance it took 'only' four months, whereas it usually takes five or six months from start to finish.
How does the process begin?
We kick off the process by compiling a trend report, observing everyday life here in Paris, where I live, while also drawing inspiration from places such as the worlds of fashion, furniture, interior design and the automotive industry. The Minty shade we've gone for has a particularly strong presence in the world of tech.
Do you also look at our previous Cowboy colors?
For sure, the entire palette of Cowboy bikes is taken into consideration. More earthy tones, like our existing Clay and Sand – as well as the three colors exclusive to Cross – need to be offset by lighter, more airy hues, like Lavender and now, fresh-feeling Mint. The paler tones have the added benefit of helping to make riders' more visible on the road.
So does that mean fluorescent colors are out?
I mean, never say never, but… it's unlikely. Another important facet of this process is ensuring that the shades are subtle and 'friendly' enough to fit into people's lives. The muted color palette of Cowboy bikes are designed with the end-user in mind. Our colors won't clash with your favourite outfit or the interior decor of your home.
The more colorful Cowboy models have proven popular with a wide urban demographic over the years. With only a limited number of Mint-colored Cruisers being produced, these are sure to become a collectors item. See cowboy.com for availability.