When not worn, the oil jacket is a classic that can quickly convey the air of a “traditional” Englishman. Immerse yourself in the wardrobe of those who wear it like a uniform in France. And those who discover it as a cool accessory.
Barbour insiders talk to you about it in a confident, almost confident tone. It’s a bit like science. This is the case of 59-year-old Sophie, who bought her jacket at the same time as her husband, almost thirty years ago. They wear it on weekends, in villages. “It was an obvious purchase. We wanted elegant and durable jackets that could last a lifetime. Today they show signs of wear on their wings, but that’s normal, it’s a sign that they’ve lived. Besides, we prefer them like this, slightly patinated. To part with it would be heresy, Barbour is like a good wine, it gets better with age,” he says enthusiastically. How can you say about a loyal friend? I look at the white marks on the canvas, the color is a little faded, with great tenderness. That’s what makes clothes special.” And to illustrate that he takes the utmost care of them, he oils them every year, even if the smell is sometimes stubborn. “It’s almost a ritual, and then you don’t feel anything out in the open,” he laughs.
Barbour is like fine wine, it gets better with age
Sophie, 59, Barbour jacket owner
British statement
The English brand has won three royal mandates in its history: in 1974, 1982 and 1987. Each time, it has been able to add a stamp of approval to its status as an official supplier to the court. We can’t help but ask Sophie if she had Lady Diana or Queen Elizabeth II as a barbour in the English countryside in mind at the time of purchase. “To be honest, it’s very possible, but probably unconsciously. However, it is certain that the English have an art of traditional elegance to which I am sensitive. Traditionally, the word is established. It’s true that when we hear oiled cotton raincoat, the concept of avant-garde is not what immediately comes to mind.
Prince Charles in an oil jacket. (Scrabster, August 13, 1986) Tim Graham / Tim Graham Photo Library via Get
Traditional image
In France, the Barbour jacket’s most visible ambassadors helped label it as a bourgeois uniform. Like Francois Fillon in 2017. A candidate for the presidential election, the former prime minister has done all his travels in a Barbour jacket, quilted and navy blue model. Fieldwear, a team jacket for fishing, hunting and equestrian professionals, is in line with the discourse of a politician who professes conservative social values. Satan! Is Barbour right-wing, some wonder? The parallel in time was obvious. Just as in 2013, when activist Frigide Barjot, then co-organizer of Manif pour tous, issued a strict dress code banning a Barbour-style oil jacket to protest against a law opening up same-sex marriage and adoption with couples. sex The activist essentially recommends wearing leather perfectos and dark necklaces to erase the stigma of dress codes associated with activists, most of whom are Catholic. A way of saying that the protesters come from all walks of life.
During his campaign for the presidential elections, François Fillon never leaves his covered barbour. (Viry-Châtillon, November 22, 2016) THOMAS SAMSON/AFP
New followers
Chic but less formal than a suit, the Barbour jacket is perfect for hunting, a walk in the woods, a social event on the town… Episodes succession, where it appears, mostly worn by patriarch Logan Roy, reminds us that with its practical and timeless style, the outfit always finds its place in the wardrobe of the powerful. But this image of the lifestyle of the super-rich outside of fashion doesn’t appeal to everyone, starting with the younger generation. So it is with a more fashionable tone that the brand will look for them. Especially thanks to the collaborations since 2019. Brands such as Maison Kitsuné, Erdem, Balzac Paris, Chloé and even Ganni have focused on the famous olive coat. They’ve updated it with tailored, shorter cuts, wide or long collars, leopard print, pops of color…
Worn by fashion icons, the brand reinvents itself and even reaches the pinnacle of cool
Obviously, all this is not a coincidence. For several years now, the century-old family business based in South Shields, central England, has been working to expand its core target audience with a great following, but not without fault; they are getting old… Some are helping. British celebrities used to the rock scene, such as Arctic Monkeys, Peaches Geldof, Alexa Chung or even Kate Moss, the brand is therefore reinventing itself. Worn by fashion icons, it even reaches the height of cool.
But changing your mind doesn’t mean denying your DNA. A Barbour is British know-how, and the brand never misses an opportunity to celebrate it. Like on this day in June 2023, the fifth meeting between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden in Washington. Then the British leader presented his American counterpart with an oil jacket as a diplomatic gift. A sacred model that he does not give up.
Source: Le Figaro
