Style Rider aims to document the world’s most stylish motorcycle riders, be they riders of classic, custom or cafe racer steeds. Focused on the intersection of motorcycle culture with individual style, here we speak to ultra-stylish actress and scooter rider, Kasia Stelmach.
Name: Kasia Stelmach
Residence: Sydney, Australia
Occupation: BDM for Hub Australia with a secret life as an actress; best known for The Great Gatsby and Rake.
Instagram: @kasiastelmach
Today’s Ride: 2018 Hunter Scooter with a few modifications and a lot more to go.
Describe your ride style: I have a few modifications in the works. I want the bike to look more like a Meccano toy, really hacked together with bolts and holes, where you can see all the inner workings. Ideally, I am aiming for something people look at and think this is a piece of art as well as a functional mode of transport. My personal style is really eclectic. I love fashion. Like paint is a painter’s medium to express, clothes are mine. I love experimenting with colours, textures, patterns and periods in time. It generally gets people coming to talk to me to share something about themselves or pushes them to try something different in what they wear and how they present themselves. Clothes, like bikes, tell a story, a story of where you are and where you want to be going, and I love that.
Next Purchase: OooooH this is a tough one. I do want to get a few cool modifications done to this bike and maybe collaborate with the Hunter team to make something completely whack. That, and I have been following Michelle at Fonzarelli with her electric NKD motorbike that looks very Mad Max as my next purchase. If you haven’t noticed, I don’t like the conventional look. I really love supporting local designers and hope Australia supports them in their manufacturing endeavours.
Style inspiration: I love Greta Garbo she was such a rogue woman of her time; Uma Thurman, Miuccia Prada, and Catherine Martin, her design aesthetic and ability are honestly phenomenal.
Tips for stylish motorcycle riding: Always wear proper gear, especially solid shoes. I have been hit by a careless driver who was on their phone. If I hadn’t had solid boots on I wouldn’t have had only 10 bones crushed in my foot out of a possible 13 but torn skin, bone and sinew and maybe a missing foot. But that doesn’t mean you need ugly boots. Get some stylish leather shoes with a solid heel. You’ll thank me for it later! Also, you carry the clothes. The clothes don’t carry you. So as long as you absolutely love being on that bike that’s what makes the outfit … and a little bit of red lippy never goes astray.
Next Motorcycle trip: Probably up to Palm Beach. The scenic route is lovely, and one of my favourite rides with all the bends and nature.
Why do you like riding? Oh lord, this is where my inner geek comes out. So … I was and have to admit still am, a massive Harry Potter fan, and I always thought the closest I would ever get to ride on a broomstick (nimbus 2000) would be having a motorbike or scooter between my legs. So I did just that and have had the pleasure of both with a few minor setbacks from careless drivers who forget they are sharing the road. But such is life. You never give up on what you love because of a few setbacks.
