Motorcyclist Bike Samaca talks pre-stunt rituals, fusing fashion with sport, and starring in Jean Paul Gaultier’s BURN campaign
If the average Joe gets a kick out of stealing pens from the stationary cupboard, Bike Samaca gets hers on the back of a motorcycle, executing spectacular stunts that defy all sense of reality. Risking your life for a cheque sounds like a dicey way to pay the bills, but for Samaca — the star of Jean Paul Gaultier’s latest campaign — it’s just another day at the office.
Whether motorbiking beneath the Eiffel Tower, quadding through treacherous mountain paths or straddling a Mustang in the pages of Buffalo Zine, Samaca is devoted to life in the fast lane. It’s the exact reason why JPG tapped the fledgling stunt star for its BURN capsule collection, released today in collaboration with Dover Street Market.
For the campaign film, Samaca is a vision of calm as she stands atop a speeding motorcycle, is engulfed in a cloud of pink exhaust smoke, and is even set ablaze in a fiery finale. Florence Tétier, the brand’s creative director, has described Samaca as the “Gaultier enfant terrible” in the new campaign, where the stunt artist can be seen in various garments inspired by archival SS99 and AW01 looks.
With a heritage as storied as Jean Paul Gaultier’s, none can blame them for rifling through the archives. Just this past November the brand launched its Cyber collection centred on an optical print from its AW95 show (the print’s mainstream revival can be traced to 2019 when Cardi B wore an OG ‘95 grail for the Hustlers premiere). Now, they’re back with a BURN, reimagining the trompe l’oeil statue dresses and cut-out motorcycle jackets of yesteryear, previously seen on the likes of Devon Aoki and house muse Julia Schönberg.
After the AW01 show had ended, Jean Paul Gaultier told reporters that the idea was to make clothes where you can “take them apart and put them back together in different ways… It's about freedom!" Today, daring artists like Samaca are the ones continuing that same legacy.
Here, the daredevil motorcyclist talks adrenaline addictions, stunt superheroes and why she’ll never be “normal”.
“My favourite [stunt films] are Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie and The Matrix with Carrie-Anne Moss”
— Bike Samaca
Hi Samaca! Congratulations on the Jean Paul Gaultier campaign for DSM. How did the collaboration come about?
Bike Samaca: Hi Dazed! Thank you, it was amazing to be a part of this collection. Jean Paul Gaultier saw me in Buffalo Zine and they liked my profile for this campaign.
What was your experience working with such an iconic brand?
Bike Samaca: I was so excited to do this job. I am happy to be able to represent this campaign by motorcycle. I love mixing fashion and stunt work. For me, Jean Paul Gaultier feminised motorcycling. It shows an image of a powerful and modern woman.
When did you enter into the world of stunt biking? What inspired you to get on a motorbike for the first time?
Bike Samaca: I have always been attracted to motorcycles. I started riding quad bikes at a young age and I recently turned it into my career.
You seem so calm and controlled while executing these crazy stunts on your motorcycle - do you ever get frightened or intimidated?
Bike Samaca: I love to ride. If I could, I would ride every day. I wouldn't say it's intimidating — I’m addicted to the adrenaline rush. You must concentrate and really have self-control when you do any kind of stunt.
Do you have any pre-stunt rituals you can talk us through?
Bike Samaca: I’m not superstitious. When I go to do a stunt there is a lot to put in place: you must check the mechanics, safety, environment, and repeat. You have to be in a good place, feel things! Especially working in the fashion world, when I can be in a dress on a motorcycle, I have to be sure of what I'm going to do.
Any movie recommendations about stunt drivers or daredevils?
Bike Samaca: There are a lot of great movies with beautiful motorcycle stunts. My favourites are Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie and The Matrix with Carrie-Anne Moss.
As well as a motorcyclist you’re also an avid fashion follower - do you ever encounter any problems when blending the two worlds?
Bike Samaca: Mixing stunt work and fashion is my favourite! Beauty shoots were a passion of mine when I was younger. Today, I can do fashion shoots while drifting a car, on a jet ski jump and presenting a Jean Paul Gaultier capsule standing on a motorcycle. It's incredible and original. I am happy to be able to gather my passions. Sometimes "normal" people do not necessarily understand because they have their own vision.
Where do you like to shop in Paris?
Bike Samaca: I really love the second-hand clothes shops. You can find some real nuggets!
Who’s your ultimate style icon?
Bike Samaca: Jean Paul Gaultier himself, of course! I like originality, and he shines!
Head here to shop the JPG for Dover Street Market BURN collection.
