THE JOURNAL
When a heritage brand seeped in, well, heritage adds yet another layer of archive-inspired detailing to its designs, you know you’re in for a treat. This is exactly what’s in store with Barbour Gold Standard, the top-of-the-line collection from the famed English purveyor of hardwearing countryside attire. Best known for its waxed coats with pockets so roomy you could stuff a quail in (we imagine, never tried), Barbour has taken what it does so well – outerwear to muck around in – and made it elegant and worldly, too.
You might think to yourself: how do you make an all-weather jacket with a design iterated and perfected over decades even better? After all, Barbour coats are what the royals themselves wear when they go on a romp through the British countryside, as reenacted in great style in the most recent season of The Crown. It’s a dangerous game to make changes to such beloved and distinctive outerwear, but Barbour has found a way to do it and do it well. The secret? Painstaking attention to new, luxurious details, the confident application of modern colourways, and rugged-yet-refined styling.
Just three seasons old, the AW21 collection, modelled by Barbour Gold Standard brand ambassador and British actor Mr Sam Claflin, iterates the best of what this edition has to offer. We’re particularly fond of the reimagined Beauforts (the brand’s classic four-pocket waxed jacket). They retain the ergonomic shape and pure utility of the original, but incorporate details such as a contrasting mesh breast pocket and corozo buttons.
(A word here on corozo which, appropriately, when paired with Barbour, has a storied history. A natural material derived from plants, corozo is scratch, temperature and impact resistant. No matter where or how you wear these coats – which are built to take some punishment, but remain elegant and stylish enough for urban adventures – these buttons won’t break off and they won’t corrode with time, making them an ideal choice for the Beaufort, a jacket known for its durability and timelessness.)
But back to the actual jackets. One, wrought in a heritage olive and sage colourway, references the archive and nods to military inspiration with leather trimming and those corozo buttons. The other, dubbed the Urban, features soft-fill insulation and has been released in all-black so that, as the name suggests, you won’t look out of place in the city.
In preparation for the cold weather to come, they’ve added two toastier coats to this collection. A jet-black quilted puffer has all the warmth of a down jacket, but boasts the trim silhouette of a leather jacket. Fitted close to the body, this is a puffer that does not add puff and would work well with cashmere and corduroy or a T-shirt and jeans. It’s a versatile layer for autumn and winter and cuts an elegant shape in a season known for bulkiness.
And when the cold really bites, Barbour’s parka is ready to come to your aid. With a high collar that connects to a faux fur-trimmed hood, the parka extends to mid-thigh, to keep out even the most cutting winter winds. Oversized pockets, a signature Barbour detail, finish the coat. Though this is certainly the heaviest piece in the collection, it retains the mix of style and utility that makes this heritage brand such a mainstay in our winter wardrobes.