It’s fashion week in New York. I was shocked to read on fashionindie that, in a baffling display of crass co-option, fashion label DKNY have been locking these bright orange bikes to poles at various locations in Manhattan. That would be a great way of getting peoples attention except that DKNY’s painted orange bicycles bear a striking resemblence to the all white ghost bike memorials to dead cyclists that have popped up in New York and other metropolitan areas.
According to ghostbikes.org these memorial bicycles are small and somber memorials for bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street. A bicycle is painted all white and locked to a street sign near the crash site, accompanied by a small plaque. They serve as reminders of the tragedy that took place on an otherwise anonymous street corner, and as quiet statements in support of cyclists’ right to safe travel.
Maybe the whole thing is a coincidence but it should be noted that DKNYs headquarters is less than one block from the ghost bike pictured above.
That’s just tasteless.
2 responses so far ↓
Hans // Feb 7, 2008 at 10:26 am
i don’t have a problem with this because i think they were trying to do something different. in some cities they have bikes you can ride FOR FREE and they are painted super bright yellow or orange so they won’t be stolen. i think that’s what they were doing.
Labuda // Feb 7, 2008 at 12:23 pm
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2289/2237486989_aaa7f62165.jpg
locked up to a sign so i dont know if that is what they are doing.
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