Continuing their elegant, eloquent tribute to female pioneers, Belstaff translated forgotten histories and the women who wrote them into practical, wearable looks for Autumn/Winter 2016. The narrative followed on from their Pre-Fall theme of ‘Heading North’; a journey of arctic extremes relevantly, and luxuriously tailored for a current climate and modern audience.
Attended by Polar pioneer Christina Franco and aviatrix Tracey Curtis-Taylor, the new season collection felt more relevant, more significant than most. The nostalgia was still there, but the rose-tinted romance of the past was toughened with red leather and motorcross silhouettes, set against considered details and more overtly feminine shapes: a distinctly female-driven, controlled collection.
Ice queens, adorned in rabbit fur and sheer silk pleats, sat atop kryptonite thrones carved from polar caps underneath a bright, midnight sun. Wintry landscapes informed patchwork, embroidered outerwear: wool was woven through fur; shearling rolled up to reveal thermal layers underneath; insulated coats embossed with swirling snow storms.
Created in collaboration with Liv Tyler, the collection possessed a distinct, glam-rock edge; a modern interpretation of this iconically historical brand. As Creative Contributor and Brand Ambassador, Tyler re-interpreted the archives to create an approachable, wearable capsule collection, presented alongside her film ‘Falling Up’, where she retraces the steps of Amelia Earhart, the highly regarded 1920s aviatrix – and one of the first women Belstaff ever dressed.
