Founded in South Shields in 1894 by John Barbour, the brand has become synonymous with outdoor pursuits, hunting, fishing and shooting. The iconic Barbour wax jacket can be seen at any cattle auction across the world today, but this ubiquitous garment has found a new place - the high street.
Barbour has moved away from the traditional image of old and explored new avenues, bringing its heritage with it. It now produces over 2,000 products and includes ladies and children’s wear as well as that famous wax jacket, which is still as popular today as it was over 100 years ago. Broadening out from its country origins, the collections now include practical, stylish clothing that can be worn in the urban environment as well as the rural idyll. Barbour found a new lease of life amongst urban sophisticates in the 1980s but has moved on from the ‘Sloane Ranger’ image of that era, bringing a new look to a brand that never loses sight of its core values – clothes that work as hard as you do. Barbour captures the unique values of the British countryside and brings the qualities of wit, grit and glamour to its beautifully functional clothing. It is this emphasis on a lifestyle many merely aspire to but will never attain that makes Barbour so desirable and guarantees its own, unique niche amongst the brash and bold fashionistas of the contemporary world.
