Beyond The Savannah: How To Wear Safari Style In The City
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Safari style menswear is enjoying a moment in the sun
Expedition clothing created for warmer climes cuts a dash far beyond its original setting, says Shane C. Kurup, and this summer the safari jacket looks just as considered on a Marylebone pavement as it does out on the plains. Here, the creative directors of Westley Richards and Purdey explain why kit designed for the bush translates so seamlessly to town, plus the expedition-ready pieces to shop now.
Why Safari Style Menswear Works From Savannah To City Street
The intrepid spirit has long informed the practical nature of menswear – the kit designed for expeditions across frozen tundra and covert military operations has heroic, rugged appeal in spades. Just look around at the ubiquitous presence of hiking boots, waxed Barbours and utility shirts on our city’s streets.
The style legacy of warm-weather expedition gear is well illustrated on the silver screen, in seminal flicks like Out of Africa, The English Patient and 1987’s White Mischief. ‘These films bring to life landscapes shaped by heat, dust and distance – and a style of dress defined by practicality, travel and understated elegance,’ says Stephen Humphries, creative director of Westley Richards, which has been producing considered safari and expedition wear and rifles since 1812. ‘King Solomon’s Mines is particularly interesting, as its lead character, Allan Quatermain, is said to be inspired by F C Selous, one of the great figures of African exploration and conservation – and a notable Westley Richards customer.’
In the 1970s and 80s, powerhouse designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Ralph Lauren popularised the style away from the savannah. Saint Laurent was particularly fond of stepping out in a safari jacket on the streets of the Rive Gauche; it became a signature look. And there’s good reason why these designs translate well from a sun-baked backdrop to city street: airy fabrics, neutral hues and a surplus of pockets. ‘In an urban landscape, you are navigating, carrying things, moving between environments and different temperatures, but still need to look considered,’ says Giles Deacon, creative director of Purdey – another stalwart of expedition attire. ‘A well-cut field shirt in a linen-cotton worn with a fine knit works as well in Marylebone as in Marrakech. And the palette has that quality of belonging to landscape rather than standing apart from it.’
How To Wear Safari Style Today
‘These garments were designed around real use,’ adds Humphries, ‘and remain just as relevant in the city as they were in the field.’ Despite the practical and aesthetic merits that come with expedition gear, wearing the pieces outside their original setting requires some fine tuning. Pair them with more contemporary pieces, advises Humphries. ‘A lightweight safari jacket can be worn over a simple shirt, polo or T-shirt in the same way as an overshirt or unstructured blazer.’
British tailoring brands that capture the utilitarian feel but are easier to wear in an everyday context are also a good port of call. Hackett‘s new high summer collection with its lightweight linens and earthy palette is a prime example. What intrepid adventures you choose to have in your gear – on savannah, plain or pavement – is up to you.
