Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Shopping from the past: Barbour jackets

Aspirational layering (zippers, webbing, waxed cotton and wool)

For a little winter cheer, I'm reprinting pages from my favorite Barbour print catalog from the early 1990s. Compared to current offerings, the catalog presents a minimalist collection of jackets. Each has a specific, distinctive feature making it unique to the line. Once you memorize this catalog you'll be able to distinguish between models based on fabric weight (light or heavyweight waxed cotton), lining (wool or cotton), pocketing (size, type and placement), length and snap gusseting (none, double or single). Synthetics are non-existent save for the quilted waistcoats and shooting jackets meant to be worn as jacket liners. The catalog's visual presentation of the product line is exemplary. Female models are mixed into the story world without overly feminizing their looks. Almost every jacket is paired with a signature bag and breed of dog. For instance, I'm thrilled to see that the Moorland, a Barbour favorite, gets the Weimaraner treatment. Sadly, many of my favorite, more exotic models have disappeared from view including the Solway Zip, Longshoreman smock, Northumbria and Spey wading jacket. Let's see if we can pester Barbour into bringing a few back in broader size range.

Take a look.

An all time favorite


The pockets on the Border are vast


Proposing a Barbour reissue in sizes down to XXS







Synthetic exceptions

I'd like to recreate this bag tangle with my own collection

20 comments:

Laurent said...

Real clothes for real people in a real world.

yolanda edwards said...

AMAZING... GREAT LOOK BOOK. I WILL BE LOOKING OUT FOR SOME VINTAGE.
M

My Affair with Michael Bastian said...

You don't have to be Brad Pitt to look good in Barbour.

Thornproof said...

Thanks for posting this great catalog!

Anonymous said...

Great jackets.

Mike said...

This was my first Barbour catalogue, forcing me to buy my Beaufort jacket.
Great pictures, great clothes.
And a much better design than today. More understatement these days...

Daniel said...

Also my first Barbour catalog. I still have it! It caused me to buy the Solway Zip jacket and I've never regretted it. However I do regret not having bought the Longshoreman Smock. I've been looking for it for years now and have had no luck...

Lesli Larson said...

Folks--

If you have other "vintage" Barbour (or other heritage company) catalogs let me know. I'd love to digitize them for the blog. I could return once I'm finished. There's not much of an aftermarket for catalog print ephemera on ebay.

LL

Anonymous said...

That catalog came with my Beaufort (purchased half-price at a going out-of-business-sale in 1993) I could not stop looking at that catalog day after day. I finally threw the catalog out about 6 months ago.

Wesley Verhoeve said...

I love when you scan in these old catalogs! This is now exception. #goodoldays

Anonymous said...

this is so great.. the catalog is so well laid out, can't imagine seeing a catalog today with so much negative space!

Mr Brown said...

The catalogue that came in my Beaufort pocket, in January 1992 to be precise.

Fortunately I picked up a Durham 5 years later before they were discontinued and then brought back with a lining.

Both of them are still worn every year. They've seen action on scooters, motorbikes, bicycles, rolling around bushes and doorways. In all sorts of bars, doo's and warehouses from Nottingham to London. In smarter parties too.

And, in fairness they both look better for the twenty years than I do.

Thornproof said...

Hey Lesli,

I just started a blog with some of my old Barbour catalogues- inspired by you. I've been keeping them locked up for a while and it is now time to set them free. It will take some time to scan them all, but I posted some catalog covers as a preview.

http://thornproof.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

Lesli Larson said...

Terrific. I'll make sure to add a link to AC and post info on twitter and facebook. I was hoping there were other folks out there with Barbour catalog stashes.

Regards,

LL

Joel said...

I would love a Northumbria. I have to admit that I have a duracotton Trapper jacket that I have worn hard and loved.

Domhnall said...

Thanks a million for this!

Got the same when buying my Beaufort in 1991, still worn today.

If my recollection is correct, some pages are missing, featuring two marvellous models: a blonde working in a river, and a red-haired beauty sporting a tartan scarf on the last page!

Where are they gone?

Tripp said...

I have a Longshoreman Smock I bought in the early 90s and only wore hunting a few times, and snow skiing once. It is an XL, and too large for me since I've lost weight. E-mail me at tripplee@aol.com if interested. I also have 2 Beauforts that I wear all the time and love. I did sent one back to Barbour to rewax, and it came back with the sleeves shortened because they decided to repair, and now it is too short. Fits my 17 year old perfect though so all is good...just be careful if you send anything to Barbour for repair.

Tripp said...

I also have a Durham from the 90s (with lining) size 48 dark green and too large for me. Excellent condition...tripplee@aol.com if interested.

Anonymous said...

Could you please scan and post the pages with the hats, particularly the hat with the long brim in the back and short brim in the front? It's all one brim and changes length as it goes back. I believe it was called the Nor'Easter, but my memory might be failing me. I would so greatly appreciate it.

Miguel said...

I was just looking today for my catalogue... It came with my first beaufort in 1991. i really miss thesse "original" jackets ( not the new originals).
I own also a navy beaufort, a brown moorland (heavywheight), a beadale from 1993, a navy durham without linning. I'm noww going to restaure myself the old beaufort as in Brabou they asked me 250€!
I bought yesterday a beaufort in sage, but honestly I was very disappointed. I don't like the tartan that much, and I found out that hey have changed the original brass like buttons. Know they are black! I wrote them suggesting to keep a 1980 version of theese jackets shown in the catalogue... They told me they could make any of theese with a 50% increase in price. Perhaps I'll go for a longshoreman....
I also still have a green moleskin shirt from 1991... Just hopped they would make them again...