For its first London Collections: Men outing, Barbour — the British firm known for its waxed cotton jackets — took tweed as its starting point, with head of men’s wear Ian Bergin looking to Barbour’s use of the fabric in the early 1900s.
Despite that archival inspiration, the collection felt modern, the tweed worked into sporty, utility-inspired looks. One roomy, waxed cotton parka was lined in Donegal tweed, while another shiny brown vest was worn under a brown tweed blazer in a windowpane check, paired with slim corduroy pants. Many of the looks were from Barbour’s Heritage line, whose fits are based on Barbour’s Japanese business. “They’re narrow at the shoulder and tubular in the arm,” Bergin noted.
Barbour also showed the second installation of its four-season collaboration with Japanese label White Mountaineering. Its linchpin wave print, based on England’s North Sea, where Barbour is based, rolled on. This season, the pattern was done in olive and green camouflage-like colors on a parka and matching pants, or in navy and red on a shirt.