From the Royal Family to Glastonbury, the Barbour jacket – in all its slightly dishevelled glory – has come to symbolise Britishness. Lindsay Baker traces the life and times of an iconic garment.

It would be hard to imagine a more quintessentially British garment than the venerable Barbour jacket – the famed olive-green, wax coated, all-weather wardrobe staple beloved by the Royal Family. So it makes perfect sense that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered a personalised version of the iconic jacket to President Biden when the two met this summer. As an offering it’s a symbol of Britishness, and the pair’s bromance – the jacket is customised, with the moniker “Mr President” embroidered on the front.

It’s a personal gift, and also a symbolic one. The high-end, family-owned Barbour brand is based near the PM’s constituency in the Northeast of England and is a British institution. Mr Sunak himself is a fan and has been seen frequently sporting the brand. It was the late Queen and US movie icon and motorcycle enthusiast Steve McQueen who were at one point the two most iconic Barbour wearers.

And the Barbour has become increasingly popular in US in recent years – an article in The Spectator by a US writer describes “How the Barbour cracked America”. It has increasingly been seen on TV screens in episodes of Succession – sported mainly by the patriarch Logan Roy – Industry, and, most notably, The Crown.

The jackets over time develop a shabby patina, lending them a charmingly dishevelled character – there is traditionally a cachet attached to the well-worn Barbour.

Traditionally the brand is synonymous with the British upper classes, a horsey, hunting staple on a par with Land Rovers and Hunter wellington boots. It shares a similar cachet to Burberry or Harris Tweed – a signifier of class, history, heritage and quality. But the trajectory of Barbour is a nuanced one, and its appeal now much wider.

For read the full text click here:

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230609-how-the-barbour-became-the-ultimate-british-symbol

  • Other similar themes:

The revival of ancient beauty rituals – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-revival-of-ancient-beauty-rituals/

The 10 most iconic jewels through history – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-10-most-iconic-jewels-through-history/

The secret Victorian language that’s back in fashion – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-secret-victorian-language-thats-back-in-fashion/

12 unforgettable style moments of 2022 – https://e-dermatologie.md/12-unforgettable-style-moments-of-2022/

The YouTuber making millions from true crime and make-up – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-youtuber-making-millions-from-true-crime-and-make-up/

Linda Evangelista back on Vogue cover after being ‘deformed’ by procedure – https://e-dermatologie.md/linda-evangelista-back-on-vogue-cover-after-being-deformed-by-procedure/

Non-surgical beauty treatments: Undercover on a facelift training course – https://e-dermatologie.md/non-surgical-beauty-treatments-undercover-on-a-facelift-training-course/

Women wear less make-up since the pandemic – https://e-dermatologie.md/women-wear-less-make-up-since-the-pandemic/

The myth of universal beauty – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-myth-of-universal-beauty/

K-beauty: The rise of Korean make-up in the West – https://e-dermatologie.md/k-beauty-the-rise-of-korean-make-up-in-the-west/

Why ‘quirky’ people are attractive – https://e-dermatologie.md/why-quirky-people-are-attractive/

Beauty industry bullying: ‘I saw strong women cry at their desks’ – https://e-dermatologie.md/beauty-industry-bullying-i-saw-strong-women-cry-at-their-desks/

My beautician saved my life from deadly skin cancer – https://e-dermatologie.md/my-beautician-saved-my-life-from-deadly-skin-cancer/

Why do women appear to bear the brunt of ageism at work? – https://e-dermatologie.md/why-do-women-appear-to-bear-the-brunt-of-ageism-at-work/

Why some people like wearing masks – https://e-dermatologie.md/why-some-people-like-wearing-masks/

Beauty professionals hope for prettier picture in 2021 – https://e-dermatologie.md/beauty-professionals-hope-for-prettier-picture-in-2021/

Five tech trends shaping the beauty industry – https://e-dermatologie.md/five-tech-trends-shaping-the-beauty-industry-2/

Taiwan’s 2,000 year-old knife massage – https://e-dermatologie.md/taiwans-2000-year-old-knife-massage/

How a teenager had 30 cosmetic procedures without showing ID? – https://e-dermatologie.md/how-a-teenager-had-30-cosmetic-procedures-without-showing-id/

Social media pressure is linked to cosmetic procedure boom – https://e-dermatologie.md/social-media-pressure-is-linked-to-cosmetic-procedure-boom/

Fashion lookahead: Seven major looks for 2020 – https://e-dermatologie.md/fashion-lookahead-seven-major-looks-for-2020/

The peculiar bathroom habits of Westerners – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-peculiar-bathroom-habits-of-westerners/

The benefits of going bald – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-benefits-of-going-bald/

Five tech trends shaping the beauty industry – https://e-dermatologie.md/five-tech-trends-shaping-the-beauty-industry/

How much water should you drink a day? – https://e-dermatologie.md/how-much-water-should-you-drink-a-day/

Why do women live longer than men? – https://e-dermatologie.md/why-do-women-live-longer-than-men/

Skinny genes the ‘secret to staying slim’ – https://e-dermatologie.md/skinny-genes-the-secret-to-staying-slim/

Why you don’t really have a ‘type’ – https://e-dermatologie.md/why-you-dont-really-have-a-type/

Can social networks help you lose weight? – https://e-dermatologie.md/can-social-networks-help-you-lose-weight/

Low-calorie shakes and soup diets ‘recommended for obese’ – https://e-dermatologie.md/low-calorie-shakes-and-soup-diets-recommended-for-obese/

Probiotics labelled ‘quite useless’ – https://e-dermatologie.md/probiotics-labelled-quite-useless/

The reasons why women’s voices are deeper today – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-reasons-why-womens-voices-are-deeper-today/

The people who cannot smile – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-people-who-cannot-smile/

Potential new cure found for baldness – https://e-dermatologie.md/potential-new-cure-found-for-baldness/

Five things you might be surprised affect weight – https://e-dermatologie.md/five-things-you-might-be-surprised-affect-weight/

What is the ‘ideal’ female body shape? – https://e-dermatologie.md/what-is-the-ideal-female-body-shape/

Is the taboo around male make-up disappearing? – https://e-dermatologie.md/is-the-taboo-around-male-make-up-disappearing/

These are the six biggest fashion looks for 2018 – https://e-dermatologie.md/these-are-the-six-biggest-fashion-looks-for-2018/

Is this what real beauty looks like? – https://e-dermatologie.md/is-this-what-real-beauty-looks-like/

The secret to a long and healthy life? Eat less – https://e-dermatologie.md/the-secret-to-a-long-and-healthy-life-eat-less/

Why vitamin pills don’t work, and may be bad for you – https://e-dermatologie.md/why-vitamin-pills-dont-work-and-may-be-bad-for-you/

distribuie