Benetton revisits its heritage in Selfridges link-up

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 17, 2018

Benetton has linked up with Selfridges for a 109-colour knit, fleece and accessory capsule collection exclusive to the high-end retailer and to Benetton’s own UK flagship.

It’s the first-ever collaboration for the brand with a department store and has launched to coincide with London Fashion Week.

United Colors of Benetton has opened a pop-up store in Selfridges, Oxford Street with the capsule collection including non-knit pieces inspired by the brand’s “iconic and kaleidoscopic 80s style” and a knitwear collection comprising “109 shades of happiness and colour.”

The 109 is a tribute to the well-known Selfridges yellow as that’s the Pantone number of that colour.

The availability of 109 shades certainly makes this an ambitious project and means that there should be something for everyone from brights to pastels, neutrals and classics such as black.

The Italian firm said the collection is “unisex and easy-to-wear, a combination of British cool and a touch of Italian style for a look that’s urban, contemporary and universal."
 
So what do we actually get? The collection has sweaters in soft cashmere and cashmere blends, customised with the classic Benetton logo, alongside coordinated fleece garments and a range of accessories, also designed “in typical Benetton 80s style.” And the firm said it’s “directly inspired by Benetton’s visual legacy: classic garments, sketches, colour charts and campaign images from the brand’s archive.”

The company is also selling the collection at its own new Oxford Street flagship. There – using the omnichannel platform that went live last Friday – customers can blend the digital and physical shopping experience, and find out if garments seen on the UK website are available in the desired size and colour, and where to buy them.