Maiden Voyage

July 2016 marked the move of Delphine Ninous from Belstaff’s head of womenswear to the role of collection creative director. Having not designed menswear since her 20’s, Belstaff’s AW17 lineup saw her triumphant maiden voyage back into making mens clothes. And man, are we thankful for her return.

Maritime Masculinity

With Belstaff’s origin being a moto-apparel label, Ninou admits that there has always been a hint of masculinity in her womenswear designs. This fact, combined with Belstaff’s links to maritime wear (having created a submariner’s jacket during WWII), has produced a bold lineup of nautical-esque designs, with men’s outwear heading the flotilla. The collection even includes a recreation of the original submariner’s jacket, with a double hood in place of where the original flotation device would be.

The Illustrated Man

Inspired by the work of Sailor Jerry, a tattoo artist popular in Honolulu during WWII, one of the most striking items of the collection is a black leather jacket emblazoned with a huge galleon on the back and stitched moto shoulders. The look perfectly embodies the nautical feel and inherent masculinity which is the core of the whole collection. It’s bold and beautiful, and we totally ship it.