Vestiaire Collective may not necessarily be a website you are that familiar with, just yet, but trust that is all about to change and in part thanks to this genius collaboration. Vestiairecollective.com is a global marketplace for premium and luxury pre-owned items of clothing and accessories. The platform houses 600,000 carefully curated pieces that once sold are expertly checked for 100% quality and authenticity. Launched in Paris in October 2009, Vestiairecollective.com has over 6 million fashion savvy members across 50 countries worldwide with offices in Paris, London, New York, Milan and Berlin. 30,000 new items are submitted by their community of sellers every week, which enables buyers to hunt amongst over 3,200 coveted and must have fashion pieces a day.
For the first time Belstaff is partnering with Vestiaire Collective on the exclusive sale of ten of its iconic wax cotton Trialmaster jackets from the Archive. This collaboration had taken 30 months of careful sourcing, Belstaff first revealed a selection of its 93 year leather archive during February’s London Fashion Week at the New Bond Street Flagship. Now sees the first reveal of the wax cotton Archive, in celebration of the current ‘Fit for Purpose’ campaign championing Belstaff’s technological advances in weather proofing garments since 1924, protecting you to venture free in all kinds of weather.
The current exhibition on show includes a 1930s vulcanized rubber motorcycle coat, yellow oilskin ‘Speedway’ capes made for spectators at the races in the 1940s, cotton gabardine mountain parkas from the 1940s and 1970s and a shell mountain parka co-designer by mountaineer Chris Bonnington, who worked with Belstaff from 1976 to 1978 on the ‘Great British Weatherproofs’ line of clothing. Also it showcases some of the first generation Trialmasters from the 1960s and 1970s including unique colour versions and an emerald waxed cotton two-piece, worn by legendary motorcyclist Sammy Miller to a number of victories. The now iconic wax four pocket jacket design was trademarked by Belstaff in 1969, as the style was adopted by more of the biking community, becoming as much a part of the bike scene as the bikes themselves.
The 10 Trialmaster wax cotton jackets are now on sale on the site and will be available to view at the Belstaff New Bond Street flagship. The jackets range from the 60s to the 70s, a specifically sought after era. Each jacket has an oily hand waxed patina giving them their waterproofing properties. The slanted pocket from the original 50’s design was adapted in the 70s to a horizontal design for a more modern interpretation. The jackets have the Belstaff check lining, with some still displaying vintage badges from Goodyear or BSA pins from their original owners, while two of the jackets are in hard to find rare red wax, all with individual wear and weathered distinctions on the fabrics. All proceeds from the sales will go towards future purchases to help grow and sustain the Archive.
For Summer 2017 the Spanish footwear and accessories brand Camper have teamed up with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) for a limited edition footwear collaboration, bringing together decades of Spanish shoemaking expertise and the richness of African materials and techniques. This collaboration helps to improve workers’ access to knowledge and skills while offering sustainable employment.
The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a flagship program of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. Their goal is to empower micro-producers in developing countries by connecting them with top brands from the fashion industry.
The Camper & EFI collection reimagines sandals and shoes in lightweight wedge soles and premium, hand tie-dyed leather, adding a unique, one-of-a-kind look to every pair. Inspired by their first-ever shoe, the Camaleón, the Camper & EFI Summer 2017 collection reimagines sandals and shoes in extra soft, chrome-free leather tie-dyed. This limited edition collaboration is produced by Ethiopian artisans and promotes access to new knowledge and skills while creating sustainable employment.
