By Jeanne Storck
9:00 Sunday morning. Nan Eastep coaxes a hem through her sewing machine in a booth at Oakland’s Temescal Farmers Market. A few final stitches and she holds up a pair of vintage pinstripe trousers that she’s converted into knee-skimming, bike-friendly knickers.
An accomplished seamstress and avid cyclist, Eastep is the creator of B. Spoke Tailor, a clothing line for style-conscious riders. She regularly loads up her cargo bike and trailer and brings her traveling pop-up shop to local farmers markets and cafes where she sells her off-the-rack riding wear and offers alterations and on-the-spot fittings.
With her punk meets British pomp aesthetic, her love of natural and recycled fabrics, and her intimate knowledge of what not to wear on a fixie, Eastep is becoming the go-to outfitter for West Coast urban bike commuters who wouldn’t dare do spandex. She’s also the darling of the local Tweed Rides — semi-regular cycle outings where participants sport their nattiest woolens.
If you’re flying in or out of Oakland Airport, be sure to check out the B. Spoke Tailor’s outfits on display — it’s a satellite show of the Oakland Museum of California’s current “Bicycles” exhibition. And if you’re interested in buying some bespoke tweeds, visit Eastep’s Facebook page to find out the location of her next pop-up shop.
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