Inspired by the notion of adventure and the journey of the riders of the Paris Dakar rally, this season’s Spring/Summer 18 Belstaff showed a collision of design influences that explored the very notion of what a journey might entail.
With performance fabrics working collaboratively against retro sports graphics and prints, combined with an awareness of the unpredictable projected through a sense of multi-seasonal technological innovation, Belstaff projects the brand’s sense of adventure and wearability through a collection that not only considers how unisex the attire for adventure must be, but also how suitable a collection must be adventure. With lightweight and new technical fabrication, Belstaff’s ‘Paris to Dakar’ collection worked with inspiration from the 70s and 80s to offer a range of garments that are adaptable for the modern adventurer, a range that experimented with the experience of the North African landscape from colorization to spontaneous print and texture.
Despite the clear design inspiration and the clever, concise execution of this idea, Belstaff’s Spring/Summer 18 collection still remained wearable and marketable, with Belstaff maintaining its clear brand history whilst also delivering a new take to ready-to-wear, which is suitable for the day-to-day routine. Through Creative Director Selphine Ninous’ direction, it is clear to see that Belstaff is changing up their traditional image and is now working on embracing the new modern day fashion-conscious consumer.
Words: Jasmine Banbury
Photographer: Alexis Negrin
