Custom-made bicycles a must-have for the modern urban aesthete
French family firm that once made two-wheelers for the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf revives brand to turn out bikes that are virtual works of art, down to their oak wheel rims and handlebar leather. Get measured for one next time you’re in Paris
Once forced out of business by mass production, a family firm in Paris has found a new lease of life, once again hand-crafting bicycles as a luxury must-have.
Maison Tamboite, founded in 1912, had an A-list clientele including the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Maurice Chevalier, Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker in its heyday.
It was an uncle who closed down the company in the 1980s when bicycles began being mass-produced and could be found even in supermarkets, Jastrzebski said.
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After working in finance for two decades, Jastrzebski was turning 50 in late 2014 when he persuaded his brother – and their wives – “to revive the brand with the same sincere, artisanal workmanship, the same quest for authenticity and perfection”.