The Jackets You Need For A High-Speed Adventure

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The Jackets You Need For A High-Speed Adventure

Words by Mr Adam Welch

11 October 2016

Our edit of British brand Belstaff’s most stylish, practical outerwear for the true thrill-seeker.

Though there are a huge variety of warmth-granting winter coats currently available on MR PORTER, not all of them are what you might call “aerodynamic”. This is where British brand Belstaff comes in. Founded in 1924, Belstaff started out as a supplier of all-weather jackets for motorcyclists, its key innovation being the use of Egyptian waxed cotton to provide “breathable” protection from the elements. Today, it retains its focus on high-velocity tales of derring-do when it comes to creating new products, the latest example in this mould being the Pendine Sands collection, inspired by the famous stretch of Welsh beach of the same name, where many early land-speed records were set. If you like your outerwear with a little more dynamism, therefore, you could do worse than look to this smart, vintage-inspired collection, as suitable for zooming across the open road as it is for nipping about the city. Scroll down to discover some of our favourite Pendine Sands pieces, and how to wear them.

Belstaff’s Pendine jacket offers a particularly lightweight variation on the waxed-cotton theme, as well as an appealing washed-out brown colour which brings to mind sepia-tinged photographs and the warm colours of the British coast. Match it with a pair of faded green trousers from Incotex and you’ll look like a lovely, nostalgic watercolour painting, and who doesn’t want that?

This sleek jacket is a variation on a design from the 1960s, when Belstaff developed it for professional motorcycle racing drivers. The pleasing vintage touch in this case is the series of metal badges on the front pocket – which should make you feel like you’ve broken many a land-speed record, even if you’re the kind of person that likes to stand still most of the time. Match it with a warm sweater from Prada – executed in a distinctly flattering, slim, Italian silhouette but in cosy Shetland wool.

The Italian-made Campbell jacket is named after Mr Malcolm Campbell, the first driver to set a world land-speed record at Pendine Sands in 1924, the same year as Belstaff was founded. Though the shearling collar is detachable, the sheepskin effect is very much a trend this season so we would advise sticking with it, emphasising the traditional British vibe with a cable-knit wool sweater from Belstaff’s compatriot brand Several.