Matchless – The scent of history
The oldest British motorbike firm is born again to bring into the world of sportswear the essence of British history, with its competitions, finishing lines, victories and research. Thanks to the love of the Malenotti family, the winged M brand that the Collier Brothers established in London in 1899 is again outstanding, a firm that started to make motorbikes and later manufactured also technical wear for pilots and bike enthusiasts.
The firm’s history is summed up in the very name of the brand: “matchless, by name and for its reputation”.
In 1907 the first edition of the Tourist Trophy, the historic race that still takes place in the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea, was won by Charles Collier on a Matchless racer, whereas his brother Henry won the 1909 and the 1910 editions. Success in races was the result of passion and technical excellence, and this combination enabled Matchless to become the first bike manufacturer to design sportswear tested by the best pilots of the day and conceived to protect bikers and pilots.
Between the 20’s and the 40’s the Firm specialised in leather items, and later manufactured them in special fabrics for enduro and scramble.
Strength, mobility and duration are the three main features of items conceived both for men and women, and today proposed with the same spirit of authenticity in the hand waxed leather version, in waxed cotton made in England and Scotland, or in materials like waterproof wool, waterproof micro-porous membranes, and waterproof fabrics.
Classic and transgressive Britishness is perfectly interpreted by Kate Moss in the Autumn-Winter campaign 2013-2014 signed by Terry Richardson: in a London suburban black and white setting the protagonists are the leather technical items combined with a historic Matchless which have the power of making us recapture the glorious days of the Firm’s brilliant founder, the outstanding designer and engineer Henry Collier.
The first Matchless of the new production, a fabulous reproduction of the bike owned by Marlon Brando, will soon be available on the market.
