Belstaff spring/summer 2017 collection presentation for LFW

Belstaff: they do fashion right. Each season, their clothes, their presentations and their campaigns are all based around one strong concept that reflects their heritage as a brand for adventurers. Entitled “Across the Wilderness,” the Spring 2017 collection took inspiration from Augusta and Adeline Van Buren, the first women to motorcycle across America exactly one-hundred years ago. True revolutionaries and pioneers, they were instrumental in the early years of the fight for women’s rights.

Belstaff’s latest designs drew on the military and moto-style clothes that the sisters would have worn on their trans-American ride. There was a focus on stylish, practical outwear, with silhouettes inspired by the long dispatch riders coats owned by the Van Burens. Black and caramel-toned jackets and coats were waxed and sealed for a waterproof finish. Elsewhere, a Buffalo check cotton boucle in either black and white, or red and white, was shaped into Americana-inspired outerwear. This season’s leather pieces came in the form of riding trousers and bold bomber jackets, the latter of which often featured graphic motifs or pockets. In contrast to these tough, edgy designs, Belstaff also offered a series of lightweight cotton and viscose dresses finished with feminine, lingerie-inspired details. Relaxed, draping lines and flowing shapes evoke a vintage femininity, ideal for layering beneath those more structured outerwear designs.  Also on display were four looks from the men’s collection, which reflected the themes of the women’s range with faded, vintage-esque pieces alongside moto-inspired elements. A characteristically sleek, wearable collection; one that not only bought the story of the Van Burens to life, but made it relevant for the modern world. 

 

Grace Cain
Photos: Krisztian Pinter

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