Video: Sir Paul Smith talks cycling with Rapha founder Simon Mottram

We’ve featured the Rapha + Paul Smith collection before, the fruits of a collabortion between the upmarket London-based cycling clothing brand and perhaps the pre-eminent British fashion designer of his generation. Now, Rapha has released a film in which Sir Paul, who once had dreams of becoming a pro cyclist, speaks with the brand’s founder and CEO, Simon Mottram.

Described as “A revealing and engaging portrait of one man’s enduring passion for the sport,” the film sees the Nottingham-born fashion designer recollect “his days as a young rider sneaking home copies of ‘exotic’ newspaper, L’Equipe, the heroes that inspired him, and his father’s bemusement at the very un-English sport of road racing.”

The film, which you can watch below, also covers how the sport has changed, the good and bad sides of following pro cycling in the online era, as well as what is described as “the special relationship Paul Smith enjoys with today’s elite riders.”

Rapha + Paul Smith - A Conversation from RAPHA on Vimeo.

Meanwhile, the Rapha + Paul Smith collection for Autumn Winter 2010 can be bought online here.