J. Barbour and Sons Ltd. was founded by Scottish native John Barbour in South Shields, England, in 1894. He began by supplying oilskins and other garments to protect the growing community of sailors, fishermen and dockers from the worst of the North Sea weather.
In 1908, John’s son, Malcolm Barbour, introduced a mail-order catalogue that attracted orders from far and wide. Using a mail-order catalogue helped cement Barbour as the go-to brand for reliable outdoor clothing. By 1917, 75% of their orders were placed via mail-order catalogues.
Don’t Miss Out on Our Massive Barbour Jackets Sale
Fast forward to the modern era, and in 2004, Barbour began to work with Lord James Percy in the design and marketing of its flagship shooting clothing range – the Northumberland range.
Technically advanced and highly acclaimed in 2005, the Northumberland Range won the Shooting Industry Award for Best Clothing Product. More recently, the Linhope 3-in-1 won the Shooting Industry Award for Best Clothing Product in 2008. More recently, James was involved, alongside Vice Chairman Helen Barbour, in designing the new Barbour Sporting collection. In 2016, Barbour won the New Ladies Shooting Product at the Shooting Industry Awards for their Carter Wool jacket.
There are now over 5,000 products across the two seasons, and the collections cater to men, women, children, and dogs. Broadening out from its countrywear roots, the heritage and lifestyle clothing brand today produces clothing designed for a complete lifestyle, whether in the city or the country. In addition to jackets and coats, the Barbour wardrobe comprises trousers, shirts, socks, knitwear, and a range of accessories.
Nevertheless, in whichever area the company now operates, it remains true to its core values as a family business which espouses the unique values of the British Countryside and brings the qualities of wit, grit and glamour to its beautifully functional clothing.
Don’t Miss Our Previous Barbour Blog Posts
Barbour Way of Life: Coats to Coast
Barbour: Macs, Facts and Lots of Wax
The everlasting and enduring appeal of a Barbour wax jacket
Barbour Clothing Range – Since 1894
Barbour, for Queen and Country
