Object of Desire

Get on your bike with the iconic Belstaff Trialmaster jacket — as worn by McQueen and Guevara

As motorcycle icons go, you couldn’t name two more rugged or more enduringly cool than Steve McQueen and Che Guevara. And the pair have at least one thing in common: both wore Belstaff Trialmaster jackets. The former was a fan of the British brand’s output, wearing his Trialmaster whenever he got on a bike, while Guevara put his trust in the coat’s protective powers for his epic odyssey across South America. Both men, and countless more over the years, have relied on the belted jacket to keep the elements at bay and protect them should they come a cropper, and now, 70 years since it was first created, the Trialmaster is back. True to its original form, it keeps the wind and rain out with its waxed cotton construction and offers improved comfort on (or off) bikes with its pre-shaped sleeves. But best of all, it makes its wearer look a bit like Steve McQueen, and that’s still all a man could ever wish for.