Massimo Osti had a particular fondness for life vests, a fondness documented at length in the 2012 published “Ideas by

Massimo Osti.” Over the course of his career Osti amassed a large collection of life vest / jackets and conducted extensive

research to their design and real-world use.

Following on from his research the Boneville team have constructed the Pilot’s Vest, inspired by Osti’s work and our own

research into both military and commercial products. Made from high quality garment dyed parachute silk, the Pilot’s

Vest features oversized chest mounted pockets with side entry, a centre front zip and BNV signature luggage strap to

reinforce the front closure. The garment also includes side waist adjusters to ensure a custom fit and internal wadding to

promote great heat insulation.

The garment dying process means the fabric picks up a wonderful array of highs and lows, giving it a sense of depth that

few other processes can offer. The Pilot’s Vest can be used as either a Kit Liner or Kit Shell.

Inspired by garments worn in the trawler industry, this piece has been designed to give maximum support to the wearer

when facing extreme weather conditions. The rubberised fabric has been heat sealed throughout to ensure zero water

pentration; the centre front includes an AquaGuard® zip with a full length placket, the later secured with easy-grip

reproduced Massimo Osti rubberised buttons.

The Pilotmaster includes two chest mounted zip pockets with large lower envelope pockets secured by Boneville signature

magnetic snaps for ease of use when in harsh conditions.

This garment also includes a detachable hood, based on traditional pancake hoods found on duffel coats. It sits flat against

the back when down and when raised it is large enough to accommodate headgear (a knitted hat, a helmet etc...) The

hood includes cord loops at its base that attach to the buttons of the hood once detached, allowing the wearer to roll it up

for safe storage when not in use.