“I bought that from you in 1995,” he said. “And I want a new one.”

No problem. We still have that coat. Same model. Same cut. Same quality. Because: if it's a classic, why change it?

We’re talking about Barbour, of course — Britain’s number one brand for waxed jackets since 1894. What began as clothing for sailors and dock workers along England’s rugged east coast has grown into one of England’s most beloved heritage brands. Still family-owned, with Dame Margaret Barbour at the helm, Barbour continues to produce its classic jackets in South Shields.

Every Barbour jacket is assembled by hand there — 36 pairs of hands for one jacket, to be precise. Classic models, such as the Bedale or the Beaufort, consist of over 160 individual components: from carefully cut waxed cotton to zips, linings, studs and labels. Handcrafted, we don’t like that term being bandied about too much — but here it’s allowed.

It is therefore not surprising that Barbour holds three Royal Warrants — from the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. But more importantly, it is a jacket that will last a lifetime (or at least thirty years, see the anecdote above). And if that life leaves some traces? Then you can simply have it re-waxed, repaired or altered by us. Every year, around 13,000 jackets are restored to their original glory in the Barbour workshop.

View our Barbour collection
Discover the wax jackets for men
More about the waxing process