Barbour

Barbour was founded in 1894 in South Shields, North East England, by John Barbour. Just a few years later, in 1900, his son Malcolm joined the business and played a key role in its growth by introducing mail-order catalogues. This allowed Barbour products to be sold worldwide, and by 1917, an impressive 75% of the company’s revenue came from catalogue sales, with shipments going as far as South Africa, Chile and Asia.

In 1936, Duncan Barbour - Malcolm’s only son and an avid motorcyclist - designed a waxed cotton suit made specifically for riders competing in the International Six Day Trials. This marked the beginning of the Barbour International sub-brand, named after the legendary suit itself.

Today Barbour has stores in more than 55 countries, including the UK, USA, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Poland and Japan. While the brand produces garments worldwide, the iconic waxed jackets are still hand-made in the English factory in Simonside - a true symbol of British heritage and craftsmanship.