Barbour

Barbour's story began in 1894, when Scotsman John Barbour set up in the market place of South Shields in the North East of England. There he supplied oilskins and protective garments to the region's sailors, fishermen and mariners, who relied on them to withstand the worst of the British weather. Within a few decades, a pioneering mail order catalogue had carried the brand's reputation far beyond the North East, with orders arriving from as far afield as Chile, South Africa and Hong Kong.

Over the following century, Barbour became synonymous with rugged, dependable outerwear. In 1936 it introduced the International motorcycling suit, worn by virtually every British international motorcycling team until 1977 and famously by Steve McQueen in 1964. In the early 1980s, Dame Margaret Barbour designed the Bedale and the Beaufort, two waxed jackets that remain the brand's most recognisable pieces and are now worn as readily in town as in the country. Barbour received its first Royal Warrant in 1974 and was granted a Royal Warrant by HM The King in 2024.

Now in its fifth generation of family ownership, Barbour remains headquartered in South Shields, where the Bedale and Beaufort are still made by hand. The company has offered re-waxing and repairs since 1921, and its skilled team continues to restore jackets so they can be enjoyed for years to come. Inspired by the values of the British countryside, Barbour today offers a complete wardrobe of stylish, functional clothing alongside its legendary outerwear, and is sold in more than 55 countries worldwide.