The mostly flat landscape makes New York an ideal place for cycling, yet most of the bikers LVMH chairman Renaud Dutreil sees are delivering packages or take-out food. He says he was surprised too see so few two-wheel commuters upon his move here last year from Paris, which has a citywide bike-rental system.

“The main goal here is to change people’s minds about cycling,” Dutreil, a recreational biker, says.

There appears to be a potential global marketplace for bike apparel and accessories. Research firm The NPD Group found that overall sales of “sport use” products are on the rise, with bicycling posting a 4 percent growth rate last year.
Ironically, the first-place winner of the Bike in Style competition isn’t a cyclist. “I used to ride a bike when I was younger, but my bike was stolen from our garage,” says Jessica Velasquez, who’ll be a senior at FIT specializing in sportswear design this fall. “I have a small apartment so I haven’t been in a hurry to get a new one.”

However, she heard from friends that most biking-specific apparel doesn’t address the realities of everyday life and, conversely, street clothes don’t allow for safe or efficient cycling. One frequent issue, especially for women, seemed to be knee-length coats getting caught. Her solution? A poncho with a drawstring.

The poncho also allows for a refined look that doesn’t pull when reaching for handlebars and it has pockets for all the electronics most riders in their 20s and 30s carry with them.