There is still at its heart the grit of functionality. At first glance, you may wonder what Belstaff, the British firm that made its name outfitting motorcyclists from the very early days of the sport, has in common with the nautical world. But consider this: In the 1960s, it produced the evocatively named Foul Weather Parka. Made for the Royal Navy in brightly colored heavy-duty waterproof nylon, it had fully taped seams, a drawstring neck toggle and an integrated neck support/flotation aid.
And now, half a century later, Delphine Ninous, Belstaff’s creative director, says: “This spring’s women’s collection was actually inspired by intrepid seafaring women, Australian-born Kay Cottee, the first woman to navigate the world singlehandedly, nonstop and unassisted, in 1988, and Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz, who, in 1978, became the first…
