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Ian Bergin talks us through the Barbour Gold Standard spring-summer lineup

Interview by Will Halbert

Let it be a matter of public record that we’re big, big fans of the Barbour Gold Standard line. With its flurry of waxed cottons, quilted fabrics, and patterns all hand-cut right here in the UK, Barbour’s Gold Standard Collection is a loud and proud celebration of the brand’s 127-year heritage. We sat down with Barbour’s Head of Menswear, Ian Bergin, to talk classic fits, elevated fabrics, and that oh-so-delicate balance between form and function.

Much like the iconic waxed jacket, there’s a lot to be said here for Barbour’s knack for repurposing old classics to fit new purposes. Can you talk us through the philosophy behind the very first spring-summer Gold Standard line-up?
Our Spring-Summer 21 Gold Standard collection stays true to Barbour’s heritage whilst adding in some cutting-edge design features and fabrics. We’re a 127-year-old, fifth-generation, family-owned business so as you can imagine authenticity is really important to us. We’re so lucky to have an amazing archive to draw inspiration from, the oldest piece in the collection is actually from 1910. Reflecting our history but in a way that is relevant to today is always the starting point for our Gold Standard collections. This range is the pinnacle of our menswear offering, so it’s key for us to utilise all of our expertise as a business in order to create these very special designs.

The common perception of Barbour is probably that of a more winter-ready brand. What steps have you taken to make classics like The Beaufort more spring-friendly in this collection?
To reflect the time of year we have chosen lightweight waxed cotton and nylon fabrics. Some of the jackets are also unlined making them a little cooler for those transitional months. In terms of colours, this season we have really experimented with washed-out fabrics to create some really nice muted springtime tones. The range is designed to be sophisticated yet casual – the items are ideal to have in your wardrobe whether you’re heading out for a relaxed weekend in the countryside or exploring the city.

The SS21 collection features some really interesting colouring techniques and textures. Can you talk us through some of the fabrics and how they’ve been put to use here?
Of course, we are known for our wax and we do have one wax in the collection which is the summer-weight Supa Ashby. It’s manufactured in one of our lightest waxes – 4oz, which is a very tightly woven cotton base with a high yarn count. The wax preparation we have developed for this has a higher percentage of pure hydrocarbon, so it’s very water-resistant and very hard-wearing. It’s a great piece that is finished with a lovely pure cotton lining.

Another key fabric in the SS21 line-up is the lightweight proofed ripstop cotton that we have used in the Supa Beaufort. It has a 5% wax element, so feels very cotton-based but has a nice crunch and texture to it. It comes in a soft pale olive and the style features our net trim that is used as a lining. 

We have also utilised a soft memory nylon which really takes colour well and we have used this in overdyed garments. It’s an oxford weave but has a great handle and feels cool to wear in the summer.

Barbour is synonymous with the British countryside, but this latest collection boasts some real military charm. Is it important for you guys to draw inspiration from places beyond your immediate comfort zones and origins?
We draw inspiration from lots of different places, but in this case, Barbour actually does have a really interesting connection with military history. During both WW1 and WW2, the business turned over our factory to make military garments. We recently received a copy of a letter from a customer that was from their grandfather to their great grandmother during WW1 – it was a request from a son to their mother to send Barbour products to the trenches to help protect them from the elements! They had even included a clipping of the products they wanted. 

However, one of the most fascinating military stories is that of Captain Phillips and HMS Ursula. Captain Phillips was one of the most celebrated submarine officers of WW2 and while in command of the Ursula, a U-class submarine, he spotted one of his men, Lieutenant Lakin, wearing a Barbour International motorcycling suit. Phillips told him to wear it while he fired a hose on him to test out the full potential of the suit. Despite the force of the water, the navigating officer remained dry. This impressed Captain Phillips so much that he approached Barbour and persuaded the company to turn the suit into a two-piece combination for his crew with a hooded jacket and trousers with elastic at the waist and ankles. Captain Phillips paid out of his own pocket for prototype suits for himself and his watchkeepers. Warm, comfortable, and weather-resistant, ‘Ursula’ suits as they became known, became standard issue throughout the Submarine service.

Some of the details in those very early Barbour designs still come into play today and this is something we see in the Gold Standard range, particularly the retention of bellows pockets at the chest and waist, which are so useful when it comes to storing go-to items when you’re out and about. You’ll also notice that the Corbridge style features epaulets on the shoulders and this is very much inspired by our military past.

The pieces that make up the spring-summer collection are a real coat nerd’s dream. Are there any small details on the coats that you’re particularly fond of?
The military hood we have affixed to the Supa Beaufort is a favourite of mine. It’s a fantastically well-crafted item in four main pattern pieces with military ear cut-outs and an ingenious button on fixing at the front for full-face protection. I also love the venting zips on the Corbridge on the rear of the triceps and the upper back which can be opened to provide extra summer ventilation.

Shop the full Barbour Gold Standard collection here.