September 21, 2016 |
There’s a motorcycle theme to Belstaff’s latest collection. Isn’t there always? Well they are a brand known for their riding leathers so it really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. This season, to quote from the press release, because if you can’t beat it then quote it, “Belstaff’s SS17 womenswear collection celebrates the centennial anniversary of an epic 5,500-mile motorcycle journey across America by Augusta and Adeline Van Buren, two fearless sisters who campaigned for the right of women to serve in the US armed forces as messengers and dispatch riders, and ultimately helped pave the way for the female vote. Only 24 and 22 years old respectively, they were the first women to ride coast-to-coast and were instrumental in empowering and inspiring women all over the world”. And how does this translate into clothing form. Well biker jackets, obviously. Which this time came in in a butter soft double faced lambskin as well as a water resistant nappa. Well, it can get wet on the road, and who wants unsightly watermarks on their leather. Knitwear was feather light, inspired by military undergarments, which combined with the athletic nature of the jersey separates gave the whole collection a sense of woman on the go. Which she very much is. Va-va-vroom.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
