When an Italian coffee company put their name on a cycling team’s jersey, they had no idea what kind of chain reaction they were about to set off. The bold branding, simple lettering and the intrigue of a foreign-language word branded across continental chests as they cycle furiously on steel bikes across winding alpine roads, was enough to set curious minds racing. What did it mean? Who are Faema? And how long have these jerseys existed? These pivotal questions were all a result of the force that drew people into this inspiring cycling jersey.
Eddy Merckx cycling for Faema team
A similar era to the infamous orange and black Molteni jersey, the Faema strip was often worn by stylish cycling superstar Eddy Merckx, instantly making it more desirable. It’s red and white simple design had a few different variations, but fundamentally remained the same: recognisable and bold – even the hats were quite nice, as you can see below.
The recent re-emergence of cycling hats and caps is no doubt fuelled by photographs like this, and so big brands such as Castelli, Le Coq Sportif and Sportful are looking back to their heritage and bringing back caps of their own.