Delphine Ninous, Belstaff’s creative director, took to the high seas for a men’s and women’s collection that combined weathered and worn-in outerwear with tailored looks, all inspired by seafarers of days past.
It was the first time Belstaff staged a full coed presentation — in line with so many London-based brands — and the first men’s collection that Ninous designed for the brand since becoming sole creative director last year.
She said her influences ranged from the jackets Belstaff designed for the Royal British Navy, to pirate flags, dockworkers and sailors’ tattoos. “The silhouettes are looser, more relaxed and the men’s and women’s come from the same place — and are meant to complement each other,” she said.
That translated into a cool and polished lineup of outerwear that included a technical nylon parka, an anorak done in coated cotton and a host of weathered-looking jackets, some with patch pockets, others done aviator-style with shearling collars and leather belts at the waist.
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Other leather numbers had a menacing Jolly Roger skull and crossbone motif stitched on the back.
For women, there were leather jackets with shearling collars, sharply tailored officer’s topcoats with gold trim around the sleeves and long coats with broad belts tied in a big bow at the waist.
While the ladies can certainly pull off those tough Jolly Roger jackets, there were some quieter leather numbers, too, embroidered with small tattoolike patterns of swallows, anchors and hearts, motifs that also popped on the collars of cotton fly-front shirts.