Belstaff Paints Manchester Orange to Celebrate Landmark Anniversary

As Belstaff celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, it revisits one location that has played a vital role in its journey: Manchester. Not too far from its birthplace of Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester is said to have been where founder Eli Belovitch and his son-in-law Harry Grosberg first set up the brand, before moving to open their main factory in 1924, as stated in a story from its latest book.

On its centennial, the brand honors its relationship with the city, taking over building faces with murals and displays of its “Our First 100 Years” campaign. Behind the images – which feature profile shots of Sheffield-born artist Corbin Shaw, SuperEnduro world champion Billy Bolt, artist Edie Ashley and more – a backdrop of Belstaff’s Centenary orange tone gives the artwork a bold statement, bringing light to the notoriously gray city. At night, the visuals also make an appearance on high-rises with large-scale projections illuminating the streets below.

As well as plastering its landmark campaign across Manchester, the brand also teases its upcoming archival exhibition through special bus stop displays encasing the iconic Centenary jacket. Taking place this weekend at Stoke-On-Trent’s Gladstone Pottery Museum, the showcase and immersive experience will give visitors the chance to explore the brand’s history through its most famous garments and historical memorabilia. Notable figures such as “King of Cool” actor Steve McQueen and legendary mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington will also be celebrated in the exhibition with dedicated displays showcasing their chronicled love for the brand.

Explore Belstaff’s Manchester take-over in the gallery above.

Get tickets to the archive exhibition in Stoke-On-Trent online now.