David Beckham has just announced that he’s invested in the British brand Kent & Curwen, which was founded in 1926 and has its roots in the manufacture of sports uniforms for clubs, colleges and universities. Kent & Curwen pioneered the cricket sweater and its archives are packed with regatta jackets, old Eton caps, V-neck knits and topcoats. He will also be the face of the company, and understandably so.
Beckham is aiming to put a younger, relaxed spin on the archive’s sporty classics and speak to a wider audience. The ex-footballer said: “Because I’m part owner, we were trying to think how not to put me in the campaign — it was something we discussed. But I do feel very passionate about it and have been very involved from day one, so the ad campaign is exciting for me.”
The latest, seasonless collection has been designed by new creative director Daniel Kearns — a veteran of Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen and Façonnable. The collection hopes to embrace British sporting heritage and spin it to have a modern, refreshed, lighter, slimmer and softer aesthetic. It consists of outerwear, such as a military greatcoat, a heavy cotton lumberjack jacket with a shearling collar, a selection of blazers in wool or cotton and some with a subtle regatta stripe sewn on the inside of the lapels.
The collection will make its retail debut in November and although the campaign has yet to be shot, it will be sold exclusively on the Mr Porter website. Later that month, it will be sold on the Kent & Curwen site, with a full wholesale rollout set for early next year.
