J. Barbour and Sons

John Barbour, a native of Galloway, Scotland, founded J. Barbour and Sons Ltd in South Shields, England, in 1894 as an importer of oil-cloth.

The surrounding community included seamen and sailors, Barbour produced clothing suitable for the harsh weather conditions they faced in the North Sea. During WWII, Barbour created weatherproof outdoor clothing for the military, including the submarine service.

John's grandson Duncan was a keen motorcyclist and during his tenure Barbour became the originator of waxed cotton motorcycling suits. The iconic wax cotton international motorcycle jacket was worn by many riders in the International Six Day Trials circuit, with Steve McQueen being one of the well known riders to have worn it.

In 1983, Barbour introduced the waxed hunting jacket model that remains most commonly associated with the brand: the Beaufort Jacket. Its design is French in origin, but tailored to suit British needs. Its waxed olive exterior and brown corduroy collar, along with its tartan lining and spacious front pockets, made it a favorite with both the British royal family as well as the general public. The late Queen Elizabeth was reportedly so fond of her Beaufort Jacket that despite repeated offers from the company to replace her well-worn favourite, she opted to keep the original for 25 years.

The headquarters for J. Barbour and Sons Ltd at the time of its foundation was Market Place, South Shields and the company remains in Simonside, South Shields today having occupied its current site since the 1980s.

Since July 2016, Scottish actor Sam Heughan is Barbour's First Global Brand Ambassador.

Products

Barbour is best known for its lines of jackets, in particular the Beaufort Jacket introduced in 1983 that quickly became a favourite among British royals and aristocrats, as well as the general public. Widely imitated since its launch, its waxed olive exterior and oversized corduroy collar are now associated with British country life worldwide.

In addition to its waxed and quilted jackets, J. Barbour & Sons Ltd is famous for sweaters, moleskin clothing, corduroy clothing, and tattersall shirts. Barbour entered the "waterproof-breathable" market with its own type of waterproof liners, Cordura external fabric, and polar fleece sweaters. Some Barbour products contain outdoor-orientated features such as snug-fitting collars, "storm cuffs", waterproof pockets with drainage holes, and wide "game" pockets.

In recent years, the company modernised its collections to appeal to a younger clientele while maintaining credibility with the traditional countryside customer. Many of the more fashionable ranges are influenced by the "Barbour International" motorcycling ranges. Taking inspiration from the company's 1936 waxed cotton motorcycling suit and the 1951 "Original Green" motorcycling jacket, modern collections are fashionable interpretations of the companies heritage in bikes. While the traditional waxed cotton jackets are still manufactured in Simonside, South Shields, some of the other products are manufactured outside the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, Barbour's motorcyclist attire became overshadowed by its much more popular hunting attire, including its waxed as well as quilted jackets, and today Belstaff has supplanted the brand's place among motorcycle enthusiasts.

Despite traditional connotations with rural life, Barbour jackets saw increased popularity as an urban fashion item in the 2010s decade. In the 2010s Barbour collaborated with several urban fashion brands including Wood Wood, Ally Capellino and White Mountaineering.