Barbour: 125 Years of Service and a Jacket to show for it
Green waxed cotton, chunky zippers, and tartan lining make the Barbour jacket an unmistakable piece of outerwear that has been in the menswear lexicon for the majority of the 20th century. Daniel Craig wears one in the James Bond films and George Costanza wore one through nine seasons of Seinfeld; both very different people in very different roles but both still looked as sharp as ever. Of course the most famous Barbour fan would unarguably be Steve McQueen. The King of Cool was often photographed in Barbour while riding his motorcycle as well as while racing for the U.S. Team in the 1964 International Six Day Trial in East Germany. The Barbour brand is now in its 125th year of service and though they started out as outfitters of the English countryside, they have steadily evolved and designed garments with purpose in mind since 1894.
Barbour was built on the belief that each garment would serve a purpose and withstand more use and abuse than others out there. They designed a cover all for World War I submariners that only had holes cut out for the eyes and mouth and was guaranteed to keep every other part of a person dry. They also engineered a "blizzard proof" jacket and dust coat that became standard issue for Military Dispatch motorcyclist. In 1936 they designed a jacket specifically for riders in mind and debuted the iconic International Jacket with the original silhouette in production to this day. It was the U.K. equivalent of the Schott Perfecto jacket; motorcycle riders liked it for the durability and protection and other were attracted to the inspired design. From 1936 to 1977 almost every British International racing team was wearing an International jacket.
For F/W 2019 Barbour has released a jacket to celebrate their anniversary. The 125 Barbour Icons International Jacket remains true to the original design with some sleek updates. The black, waxed canvas is complemented by black hardware and a removable belt at the waist; a tartan lining and a limited edition 125 Year label make up the interior of the jacket. We here at Reserve Supply are excited to bring in this limited run of the Barbour Icons International and to carry a brand that is so entwined in a culture that continues to inspire us as well.
