In the United Kingdom, 1 September marks the first day of meteorological autumn – a change in season that’s been aptly marked this year with leaden skies and the first downpours in months.
It makes a suitable backdrop for the launch of the latest collaboration between Paul Smith and Barbour; the former is known for its eponymous founder’s irreverent riffs on the tenets of a British wardrobe, and the latter’s signature wax jackets have protected against the country’s inclement weather since 1894.
Paul Smith and Barbour unite for their third collaboration
For this third chapter, the two British brands look northwards towards the Highlands of Scotland, a place known for its dramatic vistas and synonymy with outdoor pursuits (as well as its own temperamental climate, with some of the highest rainfall in the United Kingdom).
One of these pursuits is the annual Highland Games, a longstanding Scottish tradition which sees participants undertake a series of tests of strength and endurance – from the ‘caber toss’ (players must throw a wooden log as far as possible) to ‘weight over a bar’ (its rules as simple as the name suggests). The events also feature ceremonial elements, from ceilidh dancing to massed bands of bagpipers.
The Highland Games are the inspiration for this latest 38-piece collection – and its accompanying campaign – with Smith’s reinterpretation of two traditional Barbour tartans, the ‘original’ and ‘authentic’ tartans, at its nexus. The fabrics are here reworked with the designer’s liberated use of colour: pinks, oranges and yellows are woven into the tartans and appear across the collections as motifs, details, or linings.
Elsewhere, memorable Barbour garments are reimagined in new fabrications, like the Beaufort Jacket, which has been crafted in merino wool with a ‘windowpane’ check or in navy corduroy. Elements of play – which have defined the previous two collaborations – appear throughout, like printed motifs of charms, keys and fishing flies; animal embroidery; or vivid flashes of colour.
The accompanying campaign, a ‘Highland odyssey’, mines this lighthearted mood: its two fictional protagonists, Paul and Baz, arrive at the Braemar Gathering (the most famous of the Highland Games) two weeks early. There, they meet an eclectic cast of characters – ‘each embodying the warmth, wit and enduring traditions,’ as Smith says.
The Paul Smith loves Barbour is available at barbour.com and paulsmith.com, as well as selected retailers.
