BARBOUR BEAUFORT: SUCCEEDING BY DESIGN FOR 40 YEARS
John Barbour first launched his iconic English luxury and lifestyle brand making waxed-cotton outerwear in South Shields in 1894 and the business has innovated and brought truly iconic products to market ever since.Fast-forward to 1983 and Dame Margaret Barbour designed and launched a new Barbour waxed cotton jacket on to the world - The Beaufort. Its iconic silhouette quickly established a huge following around the world and it has transcended fashion and trends ever since: Sloane, Grunge, 90’s, R&B, Y2K, Preppy, Festival, Workwear, Outdoor, Vintage.
We were tasked by the team at Barbour to create a worldwide campaign celebrating the Beaufort jacket's 40th anniversary (and Barbour's DNA by association) and introduce the Beaufort to a new consumer's consciousness in a modern way.
There are few fashion products throughout history that have reached national treasure status: The Burberry trench, Stan Smiths, The Birkin bag, Dr. Marten's boots, Levis 501s and of course The Barbour Beaufort. In developing the campaign’s positioning, An Evergreen Icon, it felt natural to lean into the idea that trends come and go but icons of style are evergreen.
Shot against the iconic Barbour waxed cotton and Barbour tartan, the concept centres around classic portraiture and emotive story-telling to camera. The cast: a cultural and aspirational community spotlighting the Beaufort’s unique style and silhouette and revealing stories about their relationship with the Beaufort and its impact on their lives. A rare glimpse into the multi-faceted and trans-generational impact the Beaufort has had on the world over the past 40 years.
BEYOND STYLE
Alongside the stories featured in the campaign, we shot an impassioned interview with Dame Margaret Barbour about her inspiration for the design of the jacket and created a series of in-store activations, enabling Barbour not only to tell captivating stories through the community who grew up with the Beaufort, but also to engage new communities to embrace the Beaufort today, and those who’ll embrace the Beaufort in 40 years' time.
Music by Ian Coulter
