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The Classicist: Barbour Goes "Britprep"

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, The Classicist

Last month we told you about the super-cool new collaboration between Japanese designer Tokihito Yoshida (aka To Ki To) and famed British clothing company J. Barbour & Sons, known for their iconic waxed jackets. For spring / summer, Barbour, which was founded in 1894 and holds Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and HRH The Prince of Wales, is further expanding on tradition in the form of a new "Britprep" collection. They hope to evolve as a lifestyle brand appealing to a wider customer base with the development of more contemporary products focused on rugged tailoring and fit.

With the collection Barbour "brings authenticity to a look that defines the lifestyle of a British summer." Layers for men and women are "worn with character and wit to create an individual style." As befits a company with such a rich history, Barbour's heritage, which continues to inspire these new designs and developments, lies at the heart of the new collection. So what exactly is "Britprep"? According to Barbour, the look is not quite as clean and crisp as American Preppy. Simple, stylish, and contemporary, the collection "pays particular attention to fashion, color and tradition capturing the essence of 'Britishness.'"

Barbour has never really gone in for logos, but with the Britprep collection (above) they're employing a new crest. Unlike designers who invent crests, it's an authentic bit of heraldry deriving from the original Barbour family coat of arms originating in Galloway, Scotland. It is seen in a few variations throughout the entire collection, from subtle prints on inside jacket linings to the bold emphasis directly on the chest of polos, rugby shirts, a blazer, and even a version of Barbour's classic quilted Liddesdale jacket (pictured above left and in the gallery).

Gallery: Barbour Goes 'Britprep'

Tags: Barbour, British fashion, BritishFashion, preppy, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, Scotland, UK

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To Ki To x Barbour Ltd. Edition Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style

Classic British outdoor clothing company Barbour has teamed up with Japanese designer Tokihito Yoshida to launch a new limited edition capsule collection for Autumn Winter '09. J. Barbour & Sons, known for their iconic waxed jackets, was founded in 1894 and holds Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and HRH The Prince of Wales. A graduate of Kuwasawa Design School, Tokihito previously designed for companies including Blades Savile Row in Japan before founding his own brand, To Ki To, in 1997. Consisting of five waxed and three waterproof jackets for men, the inspiration for the new To Ki To range came from Barbour's rich archive, which goes as far back as 1908, along with technical innovations and a modern fit.

Tokihito is renowned for the detail that he adds to his garments and he has taken Barbour's distinctive style and added his own signature design to create a unique collection that includes a wax Trench Coat, Bicycle, Horse Riding (above), Motor Riding and Driving jackets. Special features include zip on/zip off detachable helmet-style hoods, detachable padded vests, water-resistant map pockets, and integral storm skirts. On the trench coat, the vent and the front of the jacket combine to make a pair of "culottes" with the button features. Pricing has not been announced but Michael Williams at A Continuous Lean tags it at about $799 - $999 apiece.

Gallery: To Ki To x Barbour

Tags: A continuous Lean, AContinuousLean, Barbour, Equestrian, Hunting, Japan, Prince of Wales, PrinceOfWales, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, Shooting, To Ki To, Tokihito Yoshida, TokihitoYoshida, ToKiTo, UK

The Quilted Riding Jacket That Stops Bullets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

We've long been fans of the quilted riding jacket, as popularized by the classic British outerwear company Barbour. Now Miguel Caballero, the Colombian designer known as "The Armani of Armor", has introduced a totally bulletproof version (above), which manages to not sacrifice anything in the way of style. Since many devotees also wear this kind of jacket for upland hunting, it's practical even for those who aren't princes, presidents and out-of-favor oligarchs in fear of their lives, as some of Caballero's best customers certainly are.

Enough anti-ballistics to stop an Uzi or a .44 Magnum - never mind some birdshot - doesn't come cheap of course, but at about $10,000 the jacket is more bang for the buck so to speak than Caballero's $12,000 bulletproof polo shirt. Plus it's waterproof, with an optional stab-proof lining. Caballero's only retail location outside of South and Central America is Harrod's in London, but the company takes special orders directly. They'll even make you one of these in cashmere if you insist (we asked).

Tags: Barbour, Bulletproof, Harrods, Jacket, Miguel Caballero, MiguelCaballero

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