Bentley has a long habit of turning its heritage into something tangible, and the 1919 Collection is the latest example. Designed by Mai Ikuzawa (the brand’s External Creative Director) the range is a small line of apparel and accessories that leans into Bentley’s founding year and its tradition of enthusiast community. It is available only at two events: the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Monterey Car Week in California.
Who Is Behind the Design
Ikuzawa’s background gives the collection some genuine credibility. Her father, Tetsu Ikuzawa, raced in European Formula Two for Sir Frank Williams and was among the first Japanese drivers to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Her grandfather was an artist. That combination of motorsport and studio sensibility informs her work as both a designer and brand adviser.
Ikuzawa has spoken about the early Bentley community (the original Bentley Boys and pioneering Bentley Girls) as a model for what the brand represented beyond racing results. The 1919 Collection is her attempt to honour that spirit in wearable form.
What the Collection Includes
The centrepiece is a chore coat in hardwearing cotton oxford fabric, offered in traditional Bentley Green. It features external patch pockets, copper buttons, and chainstitched embroidery in Heritage White thread showing the Bentley wings and the words Bentley Motors Since 1919. A removable Velcro label carries the Full Send motif — a nod to a viral video featuring stunt driver Travis Pastrana and a rear-wheel-drive Bentley Supersports.
The rest of the range includes:
- A heavyweight 12oz reverse-weave crew neck sweatshirt
- A short-sleeve polo shirt
- An American-style T-shirt
- A classic six-panel cotton cap
- A heavy cotton canvas tote bag
- Embroidered tab keyrings
Every piece is positioned as a collectible rather than a standard merchandise item. Bentley has confirmed that further seasonal releases are planned, with each drop remaining exclusive to specific events.
Why Event-Only Availability Matters
Restricting sales to Goodwood and Monterey is a deliberate choice. Both events draw the kind of committed Bentley owners and enthusiasts who are exactly the audience Ikuzawa describes, people for whom the brand is a lifestyle rather than simply a purchase. The I was there framing is straightforward: if you want one, you have to show up.
It is a sensible strategy for a brand that trades heavily on exclusivity. Keeping the collection off general retail channels protects its perceived value and ties ownership directly to participation in the Bentley world. Whether the garments themselves justify the inevitable premium remains to be seen, but the materials (cotton oxford, reverse weave, copper hardware, atelier embroidery) suggest Bentley is not treating this as a simple merchandise exercise.
For enthusiasts attending either event this season, the 1919 Collection offers something beyond a programme or a paddock pass: a wearable piece of the occasion, built to last longer than the weekend.
