Barbour: The Story of Britain's Favourite Wax Jacket

Few garments say “British countryside” quite like a Barbour. Worn-in, weatherproof and faintly scented with wax, it is the coat of muddy dog walks and county shows, of farmers and princes alike. It belongs equally to a Northumberland hillside and to the front row of a fashion show, which is a rare trick for any piece of clothing to pull off.

The story begins not in a fashion house but on a windswept quayside in the north-east of England, where the brief was about as unglamorous as it gets: keep working people dry. More than 130 years later, that same practical promise has carried Barbour from the dockside to the wardrobes of the royal family, and the jacket has never lost the honest, hard-wearing character it was born with.

What follows is the tale of how a regional waterproof became a national treasure, and why the Crown itself came to put its name to the label.

A quayside beginning in South Shields

John Barbour founded the business that became J. Barbour & Sons in South Shields in 1894, beginning as an importer and seller of oilcloth and waterproof clothing. His customers were the sailors, fishermen and dockworkers of the north-east coast, men who needed garments tough enough to shrug off the spray and bite of the North Sea. There was nothing decorative about the early stock; it simply had to work.

That foundation matters, because it shaped everything that came after. A coat designed to protect a fisherman through a winter shift sets a high bar for durability, and Barbour built its name on meeting it. The company has never strayed far from home, either: more than a century on, its waxed jackets are still made in Simonside, South Shields, a thread of manufacturing continuity that has become genuinely rare among storied British names. The brand grew, but it stayed put.

A family firm, five generations on

Part of Barbour’s charm is that it has remained, against the broader tide of the industry, a family business. The company is still owned and run by the Barbour family, led for decades by Dame Margaret Barbour, who became chairman in the early 1970s and steered the brand to international recognition. Her daughter, Helen, has also served on the board, keeping the firm in the family’s hands across the generations.

That continuity shapes how the business runs. Family ownership has let Barbour resist the pressure to chase every passing trend, and it shows in the products. Decisions can be made with the long view in mind, with the next generation rather than the next quarter as the measure. It is the difference between a label that licenses its name widely and a house that still thinks of itself as makers. The result is a brand that feels reassuringly consistent, season after season, in a market that rarely sits still.

The wax jacket becomes an icon

Barbour’s reputation rests above all on the waxed-cotton jacket: tough, reproofable and built to be kept for years rather than discarded. The breakthrough country style came with the Beaufort, introduced in 1983 and designed for the field, with its roomy “poacher’s” rear pocket, corduroy collar and tartan lining. It quickly became the definitive country jacket and a favourite far beyond the fields it was made for.

Its close companion, the Bedale, was a shorter cut conceived with riders in mind, and between them the two styles came to define what most people picture when they hear the word Barbour. The waxed finish is the heart of all of it, giving the cotton its weatherproofing, its faint sheen and that unmistakable smell. Each jacket softens and creases to its owner over time, so that no two ever quite look the same. That lived-in quality, rather than any logo, is what turned a practical coat into something people grow genuinely fond of.

The motorcycle heritage and the International

There is a second strand to the Barbour story that runs alongside the country jacket, and it is altogether faster. The International, the brand’s slanted-pocket motorcycle jacket, traces its design back to 1936 and became a fixture of off-road competition. For decades Barbour clad riders against mud and weather, and the jacket earned a devoted following among motorcyclists who valued its no-nonsense protection.

The most celebrated wearer of all was the American actor and racer Steve McQueen, who pulled on a Barbour International suit while competing in the gruelling International Six Days Trial in the 1960s. That association has since become part of the brand’s identity, and Barbour still produces a Steve McQueen line in tribute to it. It is a useful reminder that the label was never only about the gentry and the grouse moor; there has always been a grittier, engine-oil side to Barbour, every bit as British in its own way.

A royal favourite

The royal connection runs deep, and it is woven through several reigns. Barbour has held royal warrants granted by the Duke of Edinburgh (1974), Queen Elizabeth II (1982) and the then-Prince of Wales, now King Charles III (1987). The brand famously holds three royal warrants at once, a distinction reserved for very few. Royal warrants are awarded to firms that have supplied the royal household over a sustained period, and three together speaks to a long and trusted relationship.

Generations of the royal family have been photographed in Barbour at Balmoral and Sandringham, the coat a natural choice for muddy walks and shooting weekends on the great Scottish and Norfolk estates. Those candid country images did as much for the brand as any advertising campaign, quietly confirming its place as the coat the royals reach for when the weather turns. It is hard to imagine a more authentic endorsement than being worn, unselfconsciously, in the rain.

The warrant under King Charles III

Royal warrants do not pass on automatically, and following the death of Queen Elizabeth II the warrants she had granted came up for review under the new reign. In May 2024, Barbour was among the firms granted a Royal Warrant by His Majesty The King, recognised for the appointment of manufacturers of outerwear, an early tranche of warrants in the new King’s reign. For a brand so closely tied to the royal family’s country life, the continuation under King Charles III was a fitting and warmly received confirmation.

Warrant status is always reviewed periodically and can change over time, so the picture may shift again in future. As things stand, however, Barbour carries the Crown’s approval into a new era, linking the present King to a relationship that stretches back through his mother and grandfather. Few labels can claim a royal thread quite so unbroken, worn this lightly.

A coat built to be kept

In an age of throwaway fashion, Barbour’s re-waxing and repair service is a quiet act of resistance. The company reproofs and mends tens of thousands of jackets every year at its South Shields operation, breathing new life into coats that might otherwise be cast aside. A Barbour is sold not as a single-season purchase but as something to be looked after, reproofed and, eventually, handed on.

That ethos sits at the very centre of the brand’s appeal. A jacket that softens with age, gathers a few honourable scuffs and can always be sent home for a fresh coat of wax becomes less a possession than a companion. It is bought to be kept, and that, more than any warrant or celebrity wearer, may be the most British thing about it. Browse our Royal Warrant Brands stories to meet more of the great British names that have earned the Crown’s approval.

Frequently asked questions

When was Barbour founded?

Barbour was founded in 1894 by John Barbour in South Shields, in the north-east of England. It began as a seller of oilcloth and waterproof clothing for the sailors, fishermen and dockworkers of the region.

Where are Barbour jackets made?

Barbour’s waxed-cotton jackets are still made in Simonside, South Shields, where the company has its roots. After more than 130 years, the brand has kept its manufacturing close to home, a rare continuity among heritage British labels.

Is Barbour still family-owned?

Yes, Barbour remains a family-owned business. It has been led for decades by Dame Margaret Barbour as chairman, with her daughter Helen also involved, keeping the firm in the family’s hands across the generations.

Does Barbour hold a Royal Warrant?

Barbour has held royal warrants across several reigns, famously holding three at once, granted by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1974, Queen Elizabeth II in 1982 and the then-Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, in 1987. In May 2024 it was granted a Royal Warrant by His Majesty The King. Warrant status is reviewed periodically and can change.

What is the difference between the Beaufort and the Bedale?

The Beaufort, introduced in 1983, is a hip-length country jacket with a large rear “poacher’s” pocket, while the Bedale is a shorter cut originally conceived with horse riders in mind. Both are waxed-cotton classics and between them define the traditional Barbour look.

Why does Barbour offer a re-waxing service?

Barbour offers re-waxing and repair so that its jackets can be reproofed and kept for many years rather than replaced. The company processes tens of thousands of jackets annually at its South Shields operation, reflecting an ethos of buying once and looking after a coat for life.

What is the Barbour International jacket?

The Barbour International is the brand’s motorcycle jacket, with a design tracing back to 1936 and a slanted front pocket. It is closely associated with the actor and racer Steve McQueen, who wore Barbour while competing in off-road trials in the 1960s.

Sources: barbour.com; royalwarrant.org; the Royal Warrant Holders Association; reputable press coverage including Retail Gazette and Country & Town House; and reference material on Barbour’s history. Royal Warrant holder status is reviewed periodically and can change; details are correct as of 2026.