The Story Behind Blueprint
How an in-house test pattern became one of our most requested designs. And why the Blueprint Edit represents the clearest expression of our ethos, and maybe yours too. (3 min read)
NOVEMBER 24, 2025
THE STORY BEHIND BLUEPRINT
How an 'inside joke' became a statement of intent
Words by Ed Bartlett
If you're familiar with our products, you'll have likely seen the signature pattern created from a haphazard collage of our umlaut logo.
Originally, it had no grand plan or deeper meaning. We used it here and there, for example the underside of the cap peak. A quiet brand signature. A motif we liked. Nothing more considered.
But over time, the pattern kept sneaking its way onto more products. It became a sort of internal shorthand for this is ours. Still not a 'design', more a familiar quirk.
Then came the turning point.
As our product development accelerated, we needed a standardised colour and pattern for prototypes - something the factory could default to without constantly asking, 'What colour should this sample be?'
So we took the pattern and paired it with our brand blue. It was purely for practicality: a universal sample colourway, instantly recognisable, and easy for us to organise.
The pattern was first used on our #EDIT001 cap.
The Customer is Always Right
As lovers of automotive design (if not the emissions) the concept car analogy was intentional. Carspotters will know that automakers wrap their unreleased models in wild, disruptive prints to hide the final design from prying eyes. And so we thought it was amusing to adopt the same idea for our cycling kit. After all, nobody is lurking in car parks with long lenses waiting for spy shots of our new bib shorts.
Except… that’s sort of what happened. Sort of.
Our testers started getting stopped on rides, with people asking where the jersey came from, or who the brand is. We started receiving inbound messages — When is this launching? Can I buy it?
Our 'in-joke' camouflage was doing the opposite of what we designed it for. Instead of hiding the product, it was drawing people in.
One of our amazing test crew, Iza, wearing an early sample of our Winter Cargo Jersey somewhere in the Scottish Highlands.
A Blueprint for Change
There was some initial resistance to the idea of releasing it as a commercial design. We don't have the resources of bigger brands, and every launch we do takes a huge amount of time and effort. And so, at first, it felt like it might be a distraction from other projects.
But the more we spoke to people, and the more our testers commented on their interactions with other riders, the more thought we put into it. And then something clicked.
Our change of heart started with the name, which was suggested, semi-seriously by someone in our 'inner circle' - a WhatsApp group of key supporters, collaborators and co-consipirators. It's blue. It's a print. Blueprint.
But the more thought we gave it, the more sense it made:
The design is literally a blueprint.
A new product is technically a blueprint.
And Kostüme itself - the company, the philosophy, the business model - is a blueprint for a better way of making and selling apparel.
Our first Blueprint launch consists of a complete new winter layering system, comprising Long Sleeve Base Layer, Winter Cargo Jersey, Windproof Gilet and Neck Warmer.
Wearing Your Values
Once we'd figured that part out, the commercial concept came easily: Blueprint editions would only ever exist for the very first release of new products. Not necessarily for every new product (we aren't doing Blueprint for our cutting edge new Winter Bib Tights, for example.) But it had to be a new product for it to make sense.
So whether or not you like the design, the point is that it stands for something. It's not just decorative.
Because when you buy and wear a Blueprint piece, you’re not just getting the first version of an innovative new product. You’re wearing your colours. You’re saying, 'I believe the industry needs to change, and I’m backing the brands willing to do something about it.'
You are signalling that responsible production matters. That overstock and endless discounts aren’t the solution. That quality, transparency, and purpose should come before volume and noise.
You're voting with your wallet, which is just about the most powerful thing you can do.
Not for Everyone
The Blueprint Edition isn’t for everyone.
But then again, we don’t make kit for everyone.
We make it for people who care about the story as much as the product. Who value intention, craft, ethics, and innovation. Who understand that what you wear is a choice, and choices shape markets.
And if you choose to wear it, then in a very real way, you become the Blueprint.