
One Thing Done Well: Barbour’s Supa Beaufort Waxed Jacket
Barbour’s Gold Standard sub-brand delivers an elevated take on the brand’s revered archival excellence

The term ‘gold standard’ offers a serviceably snappy little shorthand used to describe a product ‘of unrivalled quality; a paragon against which other products of its kind may be compared.’ It’s a lofty claim by anyone’s reckoning; one quite likely to elicit an eye roll or two when used insincerely. When employed by a brand like Barbour however, Gold Standard becomes nothing less than a tried-and-tested, century-and-a-quarter long matter of absolute fact.
South Shields natives with a solid 125 years of heritage at their heels, Barbour have spent over a century crafting and perfecting some of the most instantly-recognisable and oft-imitated jackets in the world. Their latest Gold Standard sub-brand offers a serious doubling down on that enviable legacy.
The Supa Beaufort Waxed Cotton Jacket – one of ten jackets that make up the new collection – is perfect proof of that very fact. It’s an elegantly-rugged, A-line jacket which incorporates all of the charm and tradition of the classic Beaufort whilst also dialling its production credentials up to 11.
We’re not exaggerating here; the jacket’s details literally read like a roll call of technical ante uppers and fabric-forward flourishes. From the three-piece, tailored raglan sleeves to the all-new, leather-trimmed and bellowed pockets; from the detachable, button-up hood to the now-iconic, vertically-cut, hand warmer pockets, the Supa Beaufort is a UK-cut, oil-waxed celebration of Barbour’s above-and-beyond approach to garment construction.
Legend has it that the original Beaufort was designed by Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour back in ‘82. During her visits to France, she would admire the way local shooting jackets boasted a more elevated style than their UK counterparts, and sought to build upon it. The name ‘Beaufort’ was chosen to highlight the continental inspiration that lies at the heart of the jacket.
It’s a lovely story, but in all honesty, as rich as the jacket’s heritage may be, it’s the road ahead that excites us the most. The Supa Beaufort is a built-for-the-journey investment piece which – much like the rest of the Gold Standard collection – will only get better with age. It is, by turns, a compelling story so far and a bold step forward. We’re delighted to be along for the ride.