Katharina Black & Dots takes its inspiration from the seductive 1940s and ‘50s fashion of tight waistlines and sexy two-pieces, as well as style icon Audrey Hepburn, who made history with her little black dresses. The Katharina Black & Dots bag line consists of Basil’s by now famous shoulder bicycle bag and a double bike bag for on the rear of the bike.

Shoulder Bag is Bike Bag
The Katharina Black & Dots shoulder bag is fitted with Basil’s inventive mounting system: by storing the hooks in a zipper pocket, the bike bag can be transformed into a ‘normal’ shoulder bag in the blink of an eye. And the hooks allow you to hang the bag effortlessly on both rear and front luggage carriers.

Saddle cover and crate cover  
The bike bag line also includes a matching saddle cover and crate cover, sporting black and white dots. Basil has made them of waterproof material.

[Re]-cycling
For Basil, nature and the environment are top priorities, so it uses recycled material for numerous products. The Katharina Black & Dots bags carry the [Re]-cycling logo, which Basil has registered as a brand in order to clearly indicate when a bike accessory has been produced from recycled materials.

About Basil
Basil is a distinctive, experienced producer of multifunctional, contemporary bike baskets, bike bags and bike accessories. The company’s meticulously finished products are characterized by innovative applications, catering to explicit and implicit consumer needs, and bold, fashionable designs. With its hugely diverse collection, Basil aims to encourage as many people as possible to travel by bike. Not just because being physically active is good for you, but also because cycling is good for the environment. For Basil, doing business in a sustainable and responsible way, is a high priority, so Basil does its utmost to ensure that its products are not only gorgeous and fun, but also that the production process respects both people and nature. By now, Basil products are available at specialized bike retailers in 17 countries, and counting.

Quality specialized bike retailers
Basil bike accessories are available at quality specialized bike retailers. The Basil Katharina Black & Dots collection will be available in shops from May 2012.

The bike handbag – Basil introduces the ‘Elements’ fashion line

There aren’t many women who leave the house without a handbag. However, this everyday companion is no longer just a functional means of transport and storage. It has become part of a woman’s overall look, a fashion statement and a trendy accessory all in one. That’s certainly the case for the elegant Basil Elements shoulder bag, whose rounded shapes, tasteful synthetic leather details and luxurious lining are truly inspiring. Made of recycled canvas – available in Faded Blue and Faded Brown – and giving every woman a natural elegance, they really are a must-have item.

And here’s why: Thanks to Basil’s sophisticated Hook On-System, the shoulder bag can be mounted on any bike, allowing you to always look your best. For perfectionists, the Elements series also includes a double bike bag that fits on luggage carriers and a matching saddle cover. Cycling has never been this attractive!

Fashion-conscious and eco-friendly: Recycled canvas as an eye-catcher

Both the shoulder bag and the double bike bag in the Elements line, are made of washed and recycled canvas. This not only gives them their unique look, but also ensures a sustainable use of resources. For Basil this value is self-evident, which is why it has developed the ‘[Re]-cycling’ standard, which guarantees that products from this traditional Dutch manufacturer are extremely eco-friendly.

What a surprise to see one of our Jasmin Rosa bicycle bags on princess Amalia’s bicycle. Princess Amalia – oldest daughter of crown prince Willem-Alexander and princess Máxima – featured in the beginning of the documentary ‘Máxima, portret van een prinses’ (Máxima, portrait of a princess), which was broadcast to celebrate princess Máxima’s fortieth birthday on May 17. Seven year-old Amalia is getting on her bike for a short bike ride with her father, mother and two little sisters, through the town of Wassenaar. The Jasmin Rosa bag, from the special Basil collection for girls, is clearly visible. 
 

We are pleased that the Jasmin Rosa bag is to the taste of princess Amalia, and of course, we do not want to miss this opportunity to congratulate princess Máxima with her fortieth birthday!

‘Máxima, portret van een prinses’, with the footage of Amalia with the Jasmin Rosa bicycle bag can be found from 1.36 minutes, at: [link: http://beta.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/1102050]

                                                                Basil Jasmin Rosa bicycle bag 

Nominations for the Fiets Innovatie Award 2011 have been announced and Basil’s handlebar stem holder is one of the eight finalists for this prestigious award. The expert jury describes the Basil steering head holder as a bicycle basket holder that is extremely easy to fit as a result of which it is no longer necessary to disassemble the entire handlebar.

The Basil steering head holder has been developed because handlebars have always had to be disassembled in order to fit a bicycle basket holder, which is a time-consuming job. Because of its ingenious construction, after the stem nut has been tightened this two-part handlebar stem holder is just as strong as a single-piece steering head holder! The great advantage is that the handlebar does not need to be removed.

Basil is very honoured to have been nominated for the Fiets Innovatie Award 2011. According to Marthijn van Balveren, Director, this is recognition once again for all of Basil’s efforts to develop new applications in recent years. Basil’s inclusion in the Dutch Design Trend Book 2010 in recent weeks is also a confirmation of this.

On the initiative of the RAI Association, the sixth Fiets Innovatie Award is being presented in order to encourage product innovation in the bicycle sector. Of 33 entries, eight products have been short-listed for the Fiets Innovatie Award. Four products will be receiving a Fiets Innovatie Award on Monday 24 January 2011 at the FietsVAK 2011 trade fair in the Autotron in Rosmalen.

Basil selected for Trend Book Dutch Design Week

Basil is very conscious of the design of its multifunctional and contemporary bags, baskets and accessories for bicycles. This has not gone unnoticed in the design world, as Basil is one of more than 150 businesses and people to be included in the prestigious DDW | HDW Trend Book. Basil was selected by Jorrit Schoonhoven, one of the ambassadors of the Dutch Design Week.

Pimp your bike with the latest trend: Baboushka!

Have you heard of Baboushka yet? Those cute, multicoloured Russian dolls? These cheerful colours will now also grace all kinds of bicycles this summer, from girl’s bikes to ‘grandma’ bicycles. With the Baboushka range from Basil, manufacturer of bicycle accessories, every bike will have its own, cheerful character. That way cycling becomes a real pleasure this summer!

Baboushka is one of the biggest trends of the summer of 2010. With the Baboushka range from Basil you can now update your whole bike with this trend as well. The series consists of a pannier bag, a postman bag, a bowling bag, a bicycle seat cover and a crate cover. There are two hip versions: a grey print and the Baboushka all-over print.

Pannier bag

With the pannier bag you can carry a lot of things at once. This bicycle bag has two convenient fastening straps for attaching an LED light or child seat. Thanks to the fastening straps you can also continue to use your carrier straps as normal. The Baboushka bicycle bag also has a sturdy rear plate and a metal strip to prevent bending. But most of all: the bag looks ultra-cool!

Postman bag and bowling bag

The Postman bag, a cool (bicycle) shoulder bag, has an adjustable and detachable shoulder strap. The bag has special bicycle hooks in a zippered compartment, reflectors on both sides, a number of handy zippered compartments and a free (pencil) case as an added extra.

The Bowling bag looks nicely ‘retro’, is easy to carry and is great for your image! Needless to say, this bag also has bicycle hooks in a zippered compartment. Like the other items the Bowling bag is also available in a grey print and a Baboushka all-over print.

Seat cover and crate cover

Simply cute is the Baboushka seat cover. Of course it is waterproof and fits exactly on the seats of transport bicycles. Also an exact fit is the Baboushka crate cover (or protective sleeve) that fits over the large-size Basil crate. Thanks to the elasticised corners the crate cover is flexible and therefore fits different crates. The cover is easy to attach to the crate using the two supplied hooks.

Shiny

All Baboushka accessories are made of water resistant material with a gloss coating on the outside. That means every Baboushka has a wonderful shiny finish. A Baboushka doll appliqué on each accessory provides the finishing touch. This coming summer expect to see a colourful and cheerful procession of ‘pimped’ bicycles …

Motherhood and fertility

Incidentally, Baboushka (also called matroushka) is the symbol of motherhood, fertility and the female figure. In Russia the Baboushka is the most popular present for children and adults. In their country of origin the Baboushkas are usually hand-made out of wood and painted in cheerful colours.

The Basil Baboushka series will be available in better bicycle specialists and gift shops from July 2010. Recommended retail prices (in the Netherlands): pannier bag: € 29.95, Postman bag € 26.95, Bowling bag € 29.95, seat cover € 6.95 and crate cover € 9.95. For further information and retail outlets see www.basil.nl

See the video for yourself http://www.cyclechic.org/video.html

And the gallery... http://www.cyclechic.org/gallery.html