BELSTAFF'S FIRST REVEAL OF ARCHIVE IN LONDON FLAGSHIP

Belstaff has been quietly curating and building its Archive in preparation for the brand’s Centenary in 2024.

1950's Trashed leather biker jacket

Over the 30 months since the company moved its headquarters back to London, the Archive has been grown to an incredible 150 pieces, covering the most significant and prolific of the brand’s themes, namely aviation, military, naval and moto. The Archive also showcases Belstaff's long tradition for developing innovative materials.

1970's Plainsman leather biker jacket

Some truly incredible pieces have been discovered: a 1930s flying suit with Belstaff’s first factory name (Middleton) emblazoned across its back;

a WWII map case dated 1944; and a 1920s tent (interestingly, the term 'Bell tent' derived from the original spelling of “Bellstaff” and its logo of a bell).

Then there are more recent exciting additions such as the myriad four-pocket wax-cotton jackets from different eras, in an array of different colours, patinas, linings and labels – but the essential design forever remaining the same.

1960's Trailmaster professional waxed cotton biker jacket

This London Fashion Week sees the first reveal of a part of the Archive, with a small exposition in the New Bond Street flagship telling the story of Belstaff and Leather, being such a key material for the brand. This theme supports Belstaff’s over-arching Leather campaign running concurrently in the store, windows and online. The exposition furthers the idea that a Belstaff leather jacket is a second skin, an extension of oneself providing protection, comfort and confidence, and hence the brand’s tagline “Outerwear for Inner Strength”.
 A special stand has been created to exhibit the Archive, which can be transported between stores or other destinations, built up or down. This drive follows the success of Isetan’s pop-up in Tokyo last November, in which five of Belstaff’s key archive pieces were displayed as part of their British Week exhibition.

1970's leather racing suit

During London Fashion Week, the stand will display iconic pieces showing the history of the brand’s usage of leather, from protection in the 30s, through the moto-culture of the 50s, to the 70s, with a part specifically dedicated to Belstaff’s coloured and striped leathers from that era, which, along with the seminal 1971 film “On Any Sunday” starring Steve McQueen, inspired the current SS17 men’s and women’s fashion collections dropping in store now.
Additionally, there will be a rail of unique curated vintage pieces for sale alongside the exhibit.

1970's blue leather biker jacket

Belstaff Men's AW17 Presentation 'Jolly Roger' at London Fashion Week

For Autumn/Winter 17, Menswear  military heritage: the “Jolly Roger” naval and submariner inspired collection is both tribute and testament to the incredible clothing worn by the British Royal Navy throughout WWII.

It had to endure the harshest of conditions while at sea, protecting sailors, boatswains and submariners alike, and it was upon the ocean that the genesis of the four-pocket waxed cotton motorcycle jacket was born.

 The collection then interprets the harsh realities of life at sea through colour, fabric diversity and an array of special vintage wax treatments for a worn-in look.
 Classic maritime silhouettes such as the pea coat and duffle coat have been faithfully reproduced in luxury Melton wool, while waterproof hand-waxed cotton and leather reinforce the stylish functionality of naval outerwear.

 

The parka plays an integral role this season, emphasised by a technical foul-weather version based on a Belstaff archive piece that was created for the military in 1960.

Colour palette focuses on industrial tones of red, brown, blue and military green, particularly throughout Belstaff’s core pieces. Charcoal grey, black and true navy form a base from which emerge brighter hues such as spruce teal, sanderling, cardinal red and burnished gold.

 In leather and waxed cotton, colours have been given an aged effect for a unique patina.

Tattoos have always been a naval tradition, not just in the British Royal Navy but also in the US Navy. Belstaff have incorporated this heritage of symbolism in two distinct styles. The first is a more edgy reproduction of classic naval tattoos such as the swallow (which signifies a sailor accomplishing 5000 nautical miles out at sea) and the anchor. Placed randomly across a variety of garments, they have been designed in the rich and vibrant style of “Sailor Jerry”, a prolific tattoo artist who etched his trade in the red light district of Honolulu during WWII. These motifs have also been extrapolated to form a more feminine lace-like graphic resembling body art. Lastly, the iconic Jolly Roger flag, which was raised by victorious submarines on their return to harbour has also been applied to elements of the collection. Tattoo emblems and the Jolly Roger appear across men’s and women’s on leather, wax, knitwear, sweats, tees and shirting.

Belstaff Unveils New Brand Campaign

Belstaff unveils its new brand campaign called  “Here Be Dragons”, which holds Belstaff's spirit of adventure right at its core.

 The spot brings to life a phrase used when mankind first mapped the world. Unknown places were marked with the statement ‘Here Be Dragons’ to put fear into any would-be adventurers. But this threat only drove people to actively seek out these places, to go beyond their confines and discover the unknown. It became a challenge many were entreated to overcome.

This is the essence of the “Here Be Dragons” campaign, which aims to inspire audiences to go beyond the limitations they may place around themselves and see those boundaries as invitations to where to head to next.
The brand’s return and re-embracement of its roots was celebrated by twelve-time Trial World Champion Dougie Lampkin MBE performing his famous two-wheel routines (bike stunts) in front of the Longton board.

 Photographer;  Christian Weber,
Iconic model Mark Vanderloo was persuaded to come out of retirement, and alongside breakthrough Serbian model Mijo Mihaljcic, the pair were photographed in rugged landscapes that appear uncharted; the sorts of far-flung places that would be hard to reach unless one’s instincts took them beyond their comfort zone.

The models were on a journey themselves – both stating it was the toughest yet most exciting modelling assignment they’d experienced - interacting with their surroundings, as the clothes they were wearing were intended to protect against.

BELSTAFF LAUNCHES THE JAMES HUNT 40TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

This year marks 40 years since British sporting legend James Hunt’s legendary Formula One Championship Win at Fuji, Japan in 1976, where he snatched the championship by one dramatic point from fellow racing hero Niki Lauda.

 Belstaff wanted to commemorate such an incredible moment in racing history and has unveiled the James Hunt 40th anniversary capsule collection - created in collaboration with his sons Tom and Freddie – celebrating their father’s legacy and indomitable spirit.
 The capsule comprises six exclusive pieces referencing Belstaff’s historical outerwear pieces and Hunt’s iconic red race suit with the white horizontal stitching, while also influenced by the racing colours of Hunt’s iconic Hesketh car.
 In hand-waxed leather there are two key styles: a four-pocket belted jacket with quilting details on the shoulder and a second shorter shape with two chest pockets. Both formats are lined in the style of Hunt’s iconic race suit, being red with white vertical stitching.
 A new soya wax cotton has been introduced on a short café-racer blouson, making it an easy-to-wear everyday style.
To accompany the outerwear there is a polo and T-shirt in pop colours with a racer strip on the former, while both carry reproductions of Hunt’s signature.
To complete the look, there are also straight-legged black denim jeans.
 This anniversary capsule is at once an ode to James Hunt’s legacy, but also a tribute to the bond shared between fathers and sons in the approach to Father’s Day – this year falling on Sunday, June 19th.

http://www.belstaff.co.uk/men/collections/james-hunt/?home-hero-james-hunt

MARKUS LUPFER AW16 MENSWEAR COLLECTION

Mid-century motorcycle culture establishes the setting for Markus Lupfer menswear A/W 16.

The collection gives a nod to the ton boys of the 59 Motorcycle Club founded in Hackney, not far from Markus Lupfer’s Shoreditch studio.

This is reflected in the season’s main print, a hand-drawn illustration of the London map featured on sweatshirts, knitwear and outerwear.

 An oversize tonal cable pattern shows a contemporary take on classic menswear, with homage to the cultural icon James Dean and his effortless approach to dressing off-screen.

The juxtaposition of leather and textured knots captures the mood of the collection, with bear and rabbits motifs adding the iconic Markus Lupfer touch.

 Echoing the misty landscapes of England, colours revolve around khaki greens, navy blues, and grey slate with sharp highlights of burnt orange.

Suiting is casual with skinny cuts repeated throughout the collection, completed with printed silk scarves and leather shoes and trainers.

 1960s biker shapes, particularly the casual driving jacket, café racer and classic mac provides inspiration for durable outerwear and sets the tone for a sophisticated and casually luxurious collection.

LCM / BELSTAFF AW16 MENSWEAR COLLECTION ‘HEADING NORTH’

The Belstaff Autumn/Winter ’16 collection is based upon cold adventure riding and the pursuit of freedom, illustrating a journey that takes you through tough terrains, snowy mountains and icy glaciers in comfort and style.

The collection has been designed to meet the demands of protection (ie against water, wind and friction), mobility and adaptability, merging the heritage of Belstaff classics with innovative new materials, constructions and functionalities to ensure unprecedented warmth and comfort.

Outerwear 
This season, Belstaff’s iconic wax-cotton styles have been insulated for winter with detachable fur and shearling trims – specifically in four-pocket jackets and fishtail mountain parka styles.

 For more extreme cold environments, there is an Arctic duck-down filled all-in-one exploration suit in high performance nylon twill, together with an Arctic duck-down four-pocket parka with a fully adjustable fur-trimmed hood, an internal snow skirt and rib storm-cuffs rendering the ultimate in cold weather protection.

This Arctic genre is endowed with a technical wool/nylon blend, in keeping with Belstaff’s tradition of experimenting with new fabrications that combine functionality and modernity. Furthermore, tri-layer membranes in nylon/wool and finished with insulated nylon linings and rib storm-cuffs enable an even greater degree of breathability and technical performance.

For graphic impact, a new interpretation on the camouflage print has been executed three ways and on a variety of technical and traditional fabrics such as jacquard nylon down and heat-sealed polyurethane.

Coats  - Wool has been given an explorer treatment with long wool/cashmere melton overcoats coming with a water-repellent finish. A classic Speedmaster jacket has been readied for the depths of winter too with a detachable shearling collar, further building upon Belstaff’s outerwear identity.

 Shearling / Leather
Manifold styles of shearling complemented with leather trims present rich textures for this winter.
 Longer aviator-style jackets add to the classic four-pocket silhouette.

 Moto-inspired zip-through biker and four-pocket silhouettes come in hand-burnished, down-filled, oiled nubuck. These are finished with fur trims, internal rib storm-cuffs and nylon linings.

A stealth black aviator in a clean leather adds a harder modern edge. This season also sees the introduction of the Belstaff Riding jacket, based on a traditional motorcycling style from the 50s.

 Fleece / Knitwear
The concept of mixed media and technical fleece continues for winter with shearling mixed with fleece in a hoodie along with a more technical nylon/fleece mix inspired by the endurance adventure theme.

 Belstaff continues to build upon its knitwear identity with the introduction of a British Fair Isle pattern with moto stitch detailing and a new lightweight cashmere group for Winter 16.

The concept of knitwear as outerwear is still key, epitomised by a rich shearling-panelled zip-through knitted bomber with applied leather pockets and a protective high-neck ribbed collar. (model on left)

For the collection’s presentation, Belstaff took over the dilapidated Victorian red-brick arches of Southwark’s Ewer Street, providing a bleak backdrop to set the scene for this cold adventure.

Casting included a mix of established and new faces from all corners of the globe, with veterans Paul Sculfor, Simon Clark and Felix Friedman flanked by key new faces, such as finalists of Model of the Year Tim Schuhmacher and Models.com Break-Out star Sven De Vries, and other youngsters from wider Europe, America, Korea, Japan and Africa.
 Levison Wood, contemporary adventurer and Belstaff ambassador, attended as special guest having just returned from his latest challenge of walking the length of the Himalayas. The expedition, which took six months and four-million steps trekking 1,700 miles across the roof of the world, is currently being aired on Sundays at 8pm on Channel 4 and its book was published this week.
 He wore the Belstaff ‘Levison’ jacket that he and Fred Dyhr had created especially for his expedition, available to buy from February ’16.

Levison Wood

 Other guests included Labrinth (musician), Jack Fox (actor), Johannes Huebl (model, husband of Olivia Palermo), Robert Konjic (model), Dermot O’Leary (TV presenter), Hu Bing (Chinese model, LCM ambassador), Oliver Cheshire (model), Craig McGinlay (actor), Hugo Taylor (actor, entrepreneur), Alistair Guy (social photographer), Nicki Shields (presenter and face of Formula E!), Samantha Barks (actress and singer), Betty Bachz (Chinese TV presenter and model), Tilly Wood (daughter-in-law Ronnie Wood) – all wearing Belstaff;

James Fox

Labrinth

 For the first time, Belstaff is offering an advance pre-order service on select pieces from this new collection.

Photo credits: Collection shots: Jason Lloyd Evans / Nick Harvey Social shots: Nick Harvey