Hill & Ellis Has Launched Their Brand New Range of Canvas Cycle Bags

British bike-bag brand, Hill & Ellis, has announced the launch of their brand new range of canvas bike bags.

Unlike traditional pannier bags, these bags have been created to attach to your bike when cycling, and then unclipped and slung over your arm or shoulder when you head into the office. 

Each bag is made in high quality water-resistant canvas, with exclusive prints inspired by bike rides in London, and created by some of the capital’s top print-makers. The bags are designed to be noticed – whether attached to your bike, or slung over your arm.

With hidden, patented pannier clips, the bags easily adjust and attach to any rack. The Canvas Collection bike bags house a 16litre capacity, zipped pocket and space for a 15inch laptop whilst remaining lightweight and durable for a comfortable ride. 

Available in seven designs from bright floral ‘Ada’ to leopard print ‘Leola’ and three classic plains, the collection was inspired by favourite bike rides through London. The Canvas Collection from Hill & Ellis encapsulates a journey of freedom and reflection, playing with colour, florals, shifting light, animal prints and modernism.

Designed in the UK, The Canvas Collection was created in consultation with Greenpeace to ensure that the waterproof coating was environmentally sensitive. 

Hill & Ellis began in 2013, and was founded by Catherine Ellis. Previously, Catherine studied the History of Art at the University of York and Sculpture at St Martin’s College. Subsequently, she went into television, working for Endemol and TalkBack Thames before joining ITV in 2010, where she was both a producer and director for many years.

She was taught to ride a bike by her grandparents (the company was later named after them), and has remained an avid cyclist ever since. A bike has been her vehicle to commute for twenty years now, and she loves it. 

Cycle bags, however, have been a different matter. They were less than glamorous and made of either black nylon or PVC. The cycle bags were practical for the journey, but totally failed to live up to the destinations. 

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Matters came to a head when Catherine, her cycle bag, and Ant and Dec shared a lift. She was due to start work with them on a programme called Red or Black. They were incredibly smart, all suited, and Catherine hated carrying the bag and felt hugely self-conscious.

She decided enough was enough, and so she designed her own and made up a few cycle bags for personal use. By pure chance at that moment, a friend was taking a trip to see suppliers in India as they had just opened a bag department. Catherine went along, found what she was looking for, and brought some back to the UK. 

Catherine Ellis originally had four samples made up and cycled them around London to test them out. When numerous cyclists stopped her at the lights to ask where the bags were from – she knew she was onto something.

Early on, Catherine went to see the newsreader, Jon Snow, to offer him a cycle bag, hoping he might mention it on social media. He loved it and insisted on buying it from her and has remained a customer. Jon Snow’s enthusiasm for the cycle bags was one high point; a Norwegian stockist who placed an early order for 110 was another. They were in Vogue soon after the release of their British satchels.  

She said:

“Hill & Ellis is the classic gap in the market story. I was a regular cyclist – cycling to work every day and regularly going into meetings. There was nothing on the market that worked on the bike and looked good on the arm. Everything was black PVC and ugly and to add insult to injury they were uncomfortable to carry off the bike. I wanted something that could do both and with nothing on the market I decided to design my own. After being stopped at the traffic lights to be asked where my bags were from on numerous occasions, I knew there was something in it, so I set up the company.

The cycle bags have been featured in Vogue, Esquire, How To Spend It, Grazia, Esquire, Time Out, Wall Street Journal, der Spiegel, and Times Style. 

Find out more here: https://www.hillandellis.com