Comet Chukura’s basically created the Holy Grail for London’s cyclists – with her brand Glow, she’s created an incredible apparel range that look amazing and make sure you’re seen in the dark due to their reflective qualities. Have you forsaken your snood for plastic reflective stripes? Well you don’t need to anymore because Comet’s sorted it.
How did you come up with Glow and then turn it into such excellent apparel? Usually reflective stuff is so functional.
Oh I know, high-vis clothing has not evolved as much as other ath-leisure apparel. Basically, as a fashion designer, stylist and cyclist I decided long ago that I could not bear or wear high-vis clothes and so decided to make something that was both fashionable and functional, creating Glow. I wanted to create a range that wasn’t made of lycra, or performance driven that I could wear on a daily basis, and winter accessories seemed like a good place to start.
What materials do you use? Are they patented?
Our materials aren’t patented, but they are pretty unique and hard to come by. We use a specialist blend of wool made with glass fibre yarn, incorporated into it, so it’s barely visible in the day but reflective at night.
How do they work? Like normal reflective strips?
They just work like regular reflective wear, similar to your average ugly high-vis vest for example, they reflect direct light, so car headlights and street lights illuminate the knitwear.
Can you tell us more about who makes each piece?
Our pieces are handmade by local women. We seek to empower women who have either been marginalised due to simple factors such as tough socio-economic circumstances/mental or physical health barriers/race or class obstacles, and the list goes on. We aim to empower and enable women and value the makers as much as the end buyer/consumer.
Now the nights are drawing in, which pieces do you recommend for London cycling?
I would recommend the cuff snood. I think it’s the best style for this sort of autumnal weather and it’s great for cycling as you don’t get too hot in it..
Where can we get our hands on the range?
The range is available from our website www.glowandsee.com and from a few retailers in Copenhagen and Belgium.
Interview: Josh Jones
Photo: Tom Medwell
