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Barbour

The history of Barbour dates back to 1894 when John Barbour opened his first store on Market Place in South Shields. In the emerging port town in the northeast of England, the company established itself by manufacturing weatherproof clothing, including oilskins, for sailors, fishermen, and dockworkers. John Barbour, a Scottish entrepreneur from Galloway, laid the foundation for the company's success. With its first catalogue in 1908, the company expanded its global customer base and received orders from countries such as Chile and Hong Kong. During the World Wars, the company produced weatherproof clothing for the British military, including the famous Ursula Suit, which became standard attire for British submarine crews during World War II. In 1936, Barbour developed the »International« motorcycle suit, from which the similarly named jacket later emerged. This jacket was worn by many motorcyclists from the 1950s to the 1970s, including the US actor Steve McQueen. Over time, Barbour expanded its collections for hunting and equestrian sports and was awarded the Royal Warrant of Appointment in 1974. In the 1980s, Dame Margaret Barbour, the company's chairwoman, designed three legendary waxed jackets - the Bedale, the Beaufort and the Border Jacket. These jackets, which have since become Barbour icons, are still manufactured by 120 employees at the company's in-house production facility in England. Today, the family-owned business is in its fifth generation of leadership and continues to be headquartered in the northeast of England.