The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

Cristina Lloyd is revered by Barbour’s longstanding history of using wax cotton, coastal influences in their outerwear, and the new Coastal fragrances for him and her. bitefragrance E nglish luxury and lifestyle brand Barbour has been influenced by its rich maritime heritage and the beauty of the British coastline since 1894. Found- er John Barbour set up his first store in Northeast England’s South Shields to provide protective garments for sailors, fishermen, rivermen, and dockers against the worst North Sea weather. Its first clothing range was called the ‘beacon brand’, where the term ‘oilskin’ described the thick weatherproof fabric. This impregnating weatherproof material traces back to the 15th century when mariners used to oil and grease their heavy sailcloth and create makeshift weatherproof capes while out to sea to keep the wind and driving rain at bay. By 1795, Scottish sailmaker Francis Webster Ltd made a type of oiled flax sails with linseed that the British clippers fleet used at the time. Once ground to a paste, linseed oil could coat the flax sailcloth. Wax cotton eventually became an alternative to the heavy flax sails. The original oilskins caused problems, including rigid and stiff fabric in freezing weather, and turned it a shade of yel- low. In the 1930s, a new paraffin-impregnated cotton was developed. It produced a highly water-resistant cloth that was much softer and designed to be used exclusively for out- erwear. The cotton was woven in Scotland by Webster, dyed in Lancashire, taken to London for cuprammonia treatment, returned to Lancashire for waxing and then sold and distrib- uted in Scotland. After the war, wax cotton was embraced by country sports enthusiasts, gamekeepers, farmers and motorcyclists. Bar- bour created the distinctive international motorcycle suit featuring a slanted map pocket favoured by trial riders and worn globally. During the 1964 International Six Days Trial, Steve McQueen and the American team wore Barbour Inter- national Suits. The suits were worn by virtually every British International team from 1936 to 1977, when Barbour decid- ed to leave the motorcycle clothing market. Waxed fabrics have improved and refined over the decades since it was revamped in the 1930s, including the distinctive smelling cuprammonia removed from paraffin wax to create the unique wax cotton Barbour is renowned for today. The brand uses thornproof and sylkoil waxed cotton found in the equestrian-style Bedale, classic country Beaufort, robust and hardwearing Bristol, utility-style Corbridge, blazer style Beacon and the all-weather Border, providing differences in look, touch and performance. Following its AW14 collaborative collection with British lux- ury vehicle manufacturer Land Rover, Barbour presented its AW15 collection at London Fashion Week Men’s for the first time at the Swiss Church in Covent Garden, highlighting key pieces. The AW18 Nautical collection, inspired by its coastal, naval heritage and seafaring past, featured wool trims in na- val shapes mixed with feature linings, nautical striped knits, double pocket shirts and coastal-themed t-shirts in navy, sea- weed and mist.