Belstaff announces a new partnership with Sir Ben Ainslie and INEOS TEAM UK, the British challenger to the 36th America’s Cup.
British heritage brand Belstaff today announces Sir Ben Ainslie as the brand’s new ambassador in addition to a partnership with INEOS TEAM UK. Belstaff has designed theofficial on-shore capsule collection for INEOS TEAM UK, the British Challenger to the 36th America’s Cup. Led by British Olympic hero and new Belstaff ambassador Sir Ben Ainslie, INEOS TEAM UKis currently preparing for the challenge, taking place in New Zealand, March 2021. Today also sees the naming of the first race boat at the Portsmouth HQ, which is a milestone moment for the team.
In 2021 INEOS TEAM UK plans to be the first-ever British team to win the worlds oldest sporting challenge, spearheaded by Sir Ben Ainslie. The 16-strong team is led by skipper and team principal Ainslie, known as the most successful sailor in Olympic history. With five Olympic medals and four World Sailor of the Year awards, Ainslie also won the America’s Cup with the Oracle Team USA in 2013, which is cited as one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history. Driven by his desire never to fail, he embodies all of the core qualities of a Belstaff ambassador, today he joins a long line of adventurous spirits who were not afraid to take the road less travelled, among them T.E. Lawrence, Che Guvara, Amelia Earhart and Steve McQueen.
In the first collection of its kind, Belstaff has designed the on-shore capsule wardrobe for INEOS TEAM UK, taking inspiration from the clothing worn by America’s Cup teams throughout history, in particular, the 1950s. The collection merges iconic Belstaff pieces with timeless silhouettes and high-performance materials designed for optimum durability. The collection is trans-seasonal, taking the team from cold to hot climates, whilst remaining stylish and easy to wear. The 23-piece capsule collection will be available to purchase from April 2020 from Belstaff stores, online, with select retail partners and at the INEOS TEAM UK races, taking place from next year.
Belstaff announces this partnership on the same day as the official naming ceremony of the first race boat. Over the past two years, the INEOS team has been building a new class of boat, producing two 75ft AC75 sailboats, which will fly over the water on state-of-the-art hydrofoils with unprecedented power. The team will continue to push the boundaries of engineering for optimum speed and performance as they set course for New Zealand in 2021.
Belstaff ambassador, Sir Ben Ainslie. “The America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy and something that Britain’s never won. The quest to win the 36th America’s Cup has required a fresh approach and a new strategy and with the launch of our race boat today, our campaign to win the Cup will move into a new phase, quite frankly it’s getting real now! There’s 202 days until the first America’s Cup World Series event in Sardinia and only 519 days until the first race of the 36th America’s Cup in 2021, we will push as hard as we can to bring the Cup home.
Wearing Belstaff makes me feel proud, it’s an iconic British brand that’s adventurous and always pushing the boundaries with innovation, just like us as a team.”