Belstaff

MILAN, September 25, 2006
By Nicole Phelps
Belstaff, the 82-year-old company first known for its waterproof, waxed-cotton motorcycle gear and more recently championed by Hollywood costume designers, took a wrong turn this season. The program notes touted technological innovations, from heat-retaining transparent microfiber to a waterproof silk-and-linen blend, but in practice these were clothes designed less for leisure sports than for luring members of the opposite sex. This tough-chic line has always had a certain sex appeal, but its attraction lies in being effortless, not blatant. Here, Belstaff's traditional outerwear was deconstructed into halter dresses and skimpy, snap-covered overalls pieced together like jigsaw puzzles. Sheer nylon, meanwhile, was cut into a long-sleeved jumpsuit and a robe cover-up, and worn over fetishy swimsuits with crisscross straps. Maybe it was the late hour—the show started after 10 p.m. due to daylong rain and traffic delays—but more than one editor wondered aloud if the audience had inadvertently stepped into a strip club. However, a few sharp-looking pieces built on the brand's strengths: notably the brightly color-blocked motorcycle jackets, cropped or hip-length and belted, that closed the show.

Style.com

Style File Blog

november 20, 2009

Social intelligence

Selma Blair, Woman of Simple Tastes?

05:11 PM
It was a reunion of sorts: Ginnifer Goodwin, Selma Blair, a host of fabulous Bulgari jewels,...

Dept. of culture

The Pratt Gallery’s Shades of Green

04:11 PM

Q&A

Delfina Delettrez Fendi Isn’t Afraid Of The Dark

04:11 PM

more from the style file blog ›