The Bikes of Stages

For Lance's turn in the 2009 Giro d'Italia — a first for the "unretired" Texan — Shepard commemorates the cyclist's extreme dedication to the cancer mission by creating a customized Trek Madone in the now-iconic yellow and black LIVESTRONG colorway. To pay homage to the legendary history of the race in its 100th year, Fairey wrapped the bike and Bontrager rims in an array of intricate filagree patterns reminiscent of the type of classical architectural detail found throughout the country — interwoven with his own Obey imagery, that is.

Shepard Fairey may be best known these days for his emblematic Barack Obama "Hope" poster imagery. But it 1989, while still a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, he kicked off a global street-art phenomenon with his "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign that has since spawned a brilliant and multifaceted career. A hugely successful nascent fine artist represented by the prestigious Deitch Projects gallery in NYC, Fairey also sustains a hugely influential graphic design career with his company Studio One. Furthermore, the artist presides over one of the most important young streetwear companies, Obey Clothing, and contributes his art and designs pro bono to a myriad of charities, including The Lance Armstrong Foundation, in a personal effort to bridge the worlds of art and philanthropy.