Back to Fashion Tue 01 Mar
Belstaff’s AW16 presentation at London Fashion week was inspired by female arctic explorers and the collection captured bravery, femininity and strength.
Liv Tyler presented her Belstaff AW16 capsule collection at the crypt of the One Marylebone church near Regent’s Park. The tall, grey arches of the underground location provided a subdued backdrop for the Polar Pioneer collection, inspired by the expeditions of female pioneers like Edith ‘Jackie’ Ronne.
Models stood on white Styrofoam installations which mimicked icy shards and evoked a thrilling sense of adventure. Bomber jackets that maintained Belstaff’s classic moto heritage and cable knits comprising of shearling and fur featured heavily in this season’s collection. New, high-tech fabrics included water-repellent cotton to emphasise the need for protection in a harsh climate.
A soft, feminine touch was added with a pleated, transparent organza skirt which contrasted with the fur and leather of the outerwear pieces. Standout outfits included a warm cashmere cabled one-suit – a cross between a biker’s racing suit and thermal onesie. As for footwear and bags, practicality met sophistication with the new block-heeled boots and bum-bags-handy to keep your essentials in when you are exploring hostile and unknown territories!
The new Belstaff campaign film, ‘Falling Up’, which documents the life of 1920s aviator Amelia Earhart (one of the first women to be dressed by Belstaff) was projected onto a wall. Liv Tyler said: ‘We’d been thinking of ways to tell the story of who the modern Belstaff woman really is- free-spirited, independent, brave. Amelia was the perfect inspiration: besides wearing Belstaff back then, she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic by herself and attempted to fly around the world.’
The capsule will be in stores from September 2016.
Words : Yashi Banymadhub
