Pas Normal Studios aus Kopenhagen produzieren seit 2015 hochwertige, modische Radsportbekleidung. Anlässlich unseres Reviews des Aero-Helms Falconer, konnten wir mit Carl-Emil Von Arenstorff & Sune Nicolajsen über die Marke, interessante Kollaborationen und die letztjährige Destination Everywhere Tour durch Europa sprechen.
Shut Up Legs: First of all, thank you for answering our questions today. Could you tell us a bit about Pas Normal Studios. What is PNS’ approach in cycling clothing, when was it founded and what happened since then?
Carl-Emil: Pas Normal Studios was founded in 2014 and we released our first collection in Spring 2015. From there we’ve grown from a small group of riders to a company with 35 retail outlets and a global community of friends representing the brand all over the world. Our approach to cycling has its foundation with one foot in fashion and design while the other is firmly planted in performance and innovation. You can find a bit more info on our website.
SUL: PNS is based in Copenhagen. How would you describe the danish bike scene?
Carl-Emil: It’s very vibrant and constantly growing. Denmark has a rich history in racing and talent development. A community that is on the rise and producing more and more talents to the big stage. But one scene has been seeing even more growth over the last couple of years and that’s the one for the dedicated amateur cyclist. Passionate groups of riders get together to ride road or gravel together and dedicated cycling cafés has popped up during the past years to support this growing crowd.
SUL: Your brand also focuses on collaborations with other manufacturers like the Sweet Protection x PNS Falconer Aero Helmet we reviewed here. What do you think is essential for a successful collaboration and why?
Carl-Emil: Collaborations give us the chance to be presented in a different setting and it’s very inspiring to work with other people who are experts at what they’re doing. We enjoy working with Sweet Protection because they are innovative and focusing on making a great product where we have creative freedom to contribute in the quest for making a special product which reflects the best of both brands. We have a few very exciting collaborations coming in 2019 which are looking forward to showing you!
SUL: This year you started the Destination Everywhere project. What’s the intention behind the concept and how did it work out?
Sune: The idea behind Pas Normal Studio’s ‘Destination Everywhere’ is self-evident; to travel to new places in the hopes of unlocking some hidden experience the area has to offer. You can achieve some memorable experiences in these places by travelling to its major cities, exploring the major attractions, imbibing in the local cuisine, and immersing yourself in the culture. But we have always found that the best places to uncover the most personal experiences is on a bike with friends along the roads that permeate from these populated, built-up cities and cross the frontiers into the isolated, outlying expanses where you often end up learning more about yourself than the place you are visiting. The major attractions become a strip of tarmac, which warps and wefts with the terrain. The local cuisine becomes whatever gels and bars you remembered to stuff into your pockets before your predawn departure. And the culture becomes an experience more influenced by the local weather and topography than the commodities and ideas of society. After all the places we have travelled as a part of Destination Everywhere, the riders we have shared these journeys with have experienced the extent of how different these cultures can be and how demanding the conditions are on one’s mind, body, and bike.
SUL: You hosted lots of different events all around Europe. Where did you like cycling the most?
Sune: We have visited more than 10 different countries this year and is has to be said that every country has their own charm. It becomes difficult to categorize one place or event as a favourite. The experiences range widely from short steep cobble climbs in Flanders to immense mountain passes in the Italian Dolomites.
But I have to emphasize Slovenia as a secret hidden gem that offers considerable potential for memorable experiences, both on and off the bike.
It is so green and pure, from the gravel roads which undulate with the landscape along light blue lakes and through pristine nature, to the high mountains passes through the Julian Alps, such as Mangart and Vršiču. So untouched.
SUL: Will there be a Destination Everywhere Tour in 2019 and where can we join your events?
Sune: We are sending our Mercedes Sprinter out across Europe again at the beginning of March and will be on the road most of the year – you can find us at The Spring Classics, Tour de France, and other major cycling events. But we will still disappear for weeks into the unknown, trying to find new beautiful roads we can share with you afterwards, and hopefully inspire other people to ride into the unknown in search of their own new experiences.
Apart from Destination Everywhere, are there any plans for the upcoming year in terms of clothing, events, etc. that you can reveal?
Sune: There are some product launches ahead which we are incredibly excited about, but we are also looking to try something new – we want to share some of our experiences from this past year’s Destination Everywhere and open it up for fellow riders and customers to join Pas Normal Studios for cycling adventures in both Europe and Asia. Another project you can expect to see from us will be an extension of our Plus One race. This race has been a way for us to show appreciation for our biggest supporters and encourage them to invite new cyclists to come learn more about our brand, meet new people, and participate in a friendly race on their home roads.
This is something which has seen great success at our home here in Copenhagen that we are excited to expand to the local communities surrounding our retailers across the world.
SUL: Thank you so much for this Interview Folks. It was a pleasure to feature you and your brand on the blog!
Webseite: pasnormalstudios.com
Instagram: @pasnormalstudios
Fotos: Pas Normal Studios