Titled “Mother Nature’s Children”, the collection is curated towards offering a comfortable, warm and contemporary mood for life out-doors. This season the brand has focused on launching a series of easy wear outfits, well made in organic cotton, eco-friendly denim, recycled polyester and with other green touches that confirm Benetton’s proactive role when it comes to sustainability.
WOMEN
What comes to mind when you think of the first days of fall? The leaves of the trees in Central Park turning orange and yellow, the city skyline etched against that cobalt blue the sky takes on in the first cold days? Or brisk walks in the mountains and countryside, maybe on the ‘hunt’ for mushrooms?
For F/W 2021, Benetton has created a captivating collection with an outdoor, eco-friendly heart, distinctive colours and lines, and an unconventional touch for a soft winter style. Looks for the city, out-of-town trips and every day, with sweaters, long, eco-friendly viscose dresses, ponchos and faux fur jackets. Typically British patterns are everywhere, from windowpane checks – for peacoats and mid-season dusters in soft brights – to tartans for wool cloth shackets, two-piece suits, XL coats to wear over chunky knits, skirts and even sweaters featuring large or small houndstooth checks. The variety of weights, micro and macro patterns and colour nuances make for practically as many combinations as there are moves in a match in “The Queen’s Gambit”.
Knitwear is the star of the show, with Benetton’s favourite Nordic-style jacquard patterns as well as colour block knit dresses for an easy-going style. Pullovers feature accents on collars and cuffs, while what’s not to love about the grunge mood of rust-coloured maxi cardigans – one of the sea-son’s trends – fringed sweaters and exquisite slubbed, marl-effect knits. Nature’s colours provide Benetton with inspiration for a palette that includes ochre, burnt sienna, maple red, forest green and cocoa, alongside the brand’s signature bright, featured especially on basic pieces and sportier pullovers, sweatshirts, tracksuits and tops.
Must have outerwear includes oversize knitwear-effect patchwork puffer jackets, double-face tar-tan coats and quilted two-tone jackets with faux fur inserts —just the thing for a trip to admire the colours of fall foliage. The collection wouldn’t be complete with that most classic of ladies’ classics —the wool camel coat, to be worn slightly oversize as the trend dictates. The reversible glossy black vinyl cape with faux fur lining is oh so cool, while the cherry red nylon parka is all about comfort. There is a special emphasis on eco-treatment denim, with finishes that respect both the environment and the workers who make it. Looks for jeans are equally on-trend: 90s-style, flared, loose fit or pleated carrot fit. For a cosy, colourful winter, Benetton has reprised classic corduroy in squirrel colour for tracker jackets and medium-waist pants to wear with a contrast colour pullover, like in an updated version of “The Way We Were”. The whole F/W 21 look is accessorised with little flat caps, gloves, maxi scarves, cross body bags, fluffy or quilted backpacks and rubber-soled boots. The world is a better place with Benetton!
MEN
Menswear is also strongly influenced by a longing to get back outdoors, with a series of pieces de-signed to look as good in the country as in town. Fisherman’s rib or jacquard pullovers and cardigans come in warm, earthy colours with touches of bright red, forest green and olive, khaki, greys and shades of ochre and mustard yellow. Wool cloth, velvet, “warm touch” cotton, faux fur inserts and denim — including stretch — are the fabrics of choice for a look that’s relaxed, but with its own signature style that also extends to accessories – rubber-soled boots, gloves and hats — that may be colourful and cheerful, but are decidedly no-fuss.
There’s a return to a more pared back style for men: pants are straight, cargo or pleated in stretch gabardine, velvet or stone washed eco-friendly denim. No rips or patches. Simplicity and a timeless style is what the Benetton man is looking for when he chooses his outerwear: slim cut coats for town, military field jackets or parkas with clean, simple lines. For the depths of winter there are double face puffer coats padded with direct- injected 3D wadding. Worth collecting is a capsule of t-shirts and sweatshirts with graphics featuring natural elements that pay tribute to 70’s American “camping” style. Go back to the roots!
Highlighting a few key aspects of the selection available in India, the collection with its easy to wear styles and silhouettes offers a comfortable, warm, contemporary mood for life out-doors,. It also has an optimistic, bright and hopeful outlook towards the future. The heritage handle of the brand is captured well across several Iconic collections in the Men’s wear and Women’s wear segments. Branding is captured in unique forms & techniques across categories. Surface textures have been added to make the garments feel more premium and luxurious. Sustainability remains a major focus point for the brand: therefore a proactive approach to capture as many sustainable fabrics across categories such as- BCI Cotton, Linen, Lyocell, Tencel, Viscose, Modal, ECO Gold Denim has been undertaken. The use of EIM Scores for denim washes, done especially from the company Jeanologia which provides sustainable textile solutions; ensures that denim washes are being produced with a lower environmental impact by saving water and electricity in the process.
