As the weather turns, Barbour goes back to its roots

Barbour is as aligned with tartan as much as it is with wax jackets and Alexa Chung. The iconic British label was founded by John Barbour, a Scotsman who grew up in Galloway, and since its inception, he had been using tartan in his designs. That being said, the Barbour Tartan that is used mainly across the brand today was created in 1998 by Margaret and Helen Barbour in association with tartan specialists, Kinloch Anderson, replacing the less unique Dress Gordon tartan used in those earlier jackets, to reflect the brand's Scottish heritage. Helen, on a trip to Scotland, decided to trace her family roots and find the actual Barbour tartan. Ayrshire, where the Barbour family name originated, was the place to focus on, and with Anderson, she found the perfect tartan (the Barbour family itself didn’t have an exclusive tartan, but they worked on a unique sett inspired by other local designs).

“Our unique and exclusive tartans represent everything that is special about the Barbour brand says Paul Wilkinson, Barbour’s Group Deputy Managing Director. “Founder John Barbour never forgot his Scottish roots,” Dame Margaret Barbour shares. “We believe this is why he used tartan in the linings from the very beginning.”

To celebrate that history and the iconic Barbour tartan, the brand headed back to Scotland for its Autumn/Winter 2025 campaign. For the shoot, the team set up based in the historical and rugged but still beautiful landscape of Ayrshire, which is still viewed as the ancestral home of Barbour despite the business’s origins being in Newcastle.

The campaign sees a stellar roster of British talent join the Barbour family, from models Edie Campbell and Kit Butler, who have become synonymous with the British look on catwalks worldwide, to actors Saffron Hocking, Charlie Rowe and Will Gao. Each can be seen sporting those classic Barbour jackets, complete with the now instantly recognisable tartan, as well as other new pieces, from blankets and knits to shirts and scarves, from the Autumn/Winter collection. It's an all-out celebration of tartan.

And to celebrate the launch of the campaign, rather than have fans of the brand trek to Ayrshire, Barbour is bringing a slice of its heritage to central London. Co-aligning with the start of London Fashion Week, Barbour will unveil Tartan: The Barbour Way on Carnaby Street. The pop-up exhibition will celebrate all things Barbour, with immersive experiences and a look at the extensive brand archive. For anyone interested in fashion, history and Britishness, it’s not to be missed.

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