Ruby Universe
As a sucker for interesting and fun graphic design, I couldn’t help but to get drawn in when I saw the helmets from the french company, Ruby Helmets (or Les Atelier Ruby as they are officially known). Sleek and unique are the words that come to mind when I perused through the collections, which creator Jérôme Coste describes are “inspired by Steve McQueen, science fiction, mechanical beauties and Tokyo biker gangs.”
All Ruby helmets are made of carbon fiber, Kevlar and fiberglass and all of the screws are made from aluminum & titanium, guaranteeing strength while being lightweight. All helmets have a red inner lining that is padded with foam of different densities and the outer layer is made of claret-colored lambskin. And inside is a little bonus: the presence of your potential guardian angel, Lady Ruby. Each helmet comes in a traditional, protective red box. According to them, their helmets are DOT approved.
Guardian Lady Ruby
The Ruby red box
There are currently two different featured styles in the Ruby Helmet collection:
The Pavillion
The Pavillion is an open faced helmet of retro design and also the flagship model of Ruby Helmets.
Pavillion by Ruby Helmets
Pavillion's many styles
Pavillion styles and colors
The Belvedere
The Belvedere’s design is based on the Pavillion, but has the option of incorporating a full face visor, giving it a retro-futuristic style.
Belvedere by Ruby Helmets
Belvedere's different styles
These definitely fall into the “luxury” category (if one exists for helmets) as they will hit you in the wallet for upwards to $1000 USD.
The designer in me appreciates the visual appeal and general “coolness” of these helmets. In theory, if someone had the right style bike, this helmet would be a great compliment to it. However, the realistic biker in me knows that if a “typical” biker saw someone wearing one of these helmets, they would think they were a hipster wannabe and would probably kick that person’s butt!
I dunno, what do you think?
You can find more information about Ruby Helmets at http://ateliersruby.com and if you want to create an original design on one check out http://boutiqueruby.com.