A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT

A L I F E T I M E O F A C H I E V E M E N T

Barbour has become an iconic British brand, known throughout the world for their durable and timeless waxed cotton jackets. For many, it’s one of fashion’s best legacies—a truly generational product that has stood the test of time.

Founded in South Shields by John Barbour in 1894, the company originally outfitted fishermen and mariners in oilskins to protect them from harsh weather at sea.

At the time, oilskin outerwear was crafted from leftover scraps of sails that had been treated with fish oil to make them water-resistant.

Because of the fish oil and bad odour, John set out to design an alternative and achieved the same results by treating cotton fabric with flax oil.

His long silhouettes were sold under the J Barbour & Sons brand and quickly became a hit with mariners and shipbuilders, protecting them from the harsh British weather.

From there, Barbour went on to kit out motorcycling enthusiasts as well as submarine commanders in the Second World War before transforming into the global lifestyle brand it is today.

Their iconic wax jackets are still handmade in their factory at South Shields, where they make around 120,000- 130,000 per year.

The company’s continued success is testament to its chair, Dame Margaret Barbour. Born in the North East, Dame Margaret moved to London in the 1960s to work as a school teacher – and it was here, after a Twickenham rugby match, that she met John, fourth-generation Barbour. The pair decided to move back up north, where they married in 1964, before welcoming their daughter Helen in 1966. But while on holiday in Mallorca in 1968, John died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. Only 29 years old, John left behind Margaret, 2-year old daughter Helen and the family business.

With two options – sell the business or join it – Dame Margaret decided to join, determined to continue her husband’s legacy. She was appointed to the Board of Directors before becoming Chair of the organisation in 1973.

Applying her interest and knowledge of textiles, style and trend forecasting, Dame Margaret led on the development and launch of three new waxed jackets, applying design principles that she had seen in trade and fashion shows across the world.

This, combined with the introduction of new colours to the range, officially marked the company’s departure from its ‘country-green’ ethos and it’s shift towards becoming a highstreet brand.

In the early 1990s, she oversaw the opening of their first concession, when the company ventured beyond its retail store in South Shields to Harrods in London. Today, it has over 21 standalone stores worldwide and around 1,500 wholesale stockists.

Her attention to style and colour, combined with her passion for the brand and her drive to innovate, have transformed a family business into a global fashion phenomenon with three Royal Warrants.

She’s led the company to strength, growing it from 100 staff to more than 1,000, all while making a huge contribution to the region and helping charitable causes and cultural and community projects in the North East.

In 1988, Dame Margaret launched The Barbour Trust (now called The Barbour Foundation) with her daughter Helen and since then, has awarded more than £20m to charities and good causes across the region. Among the award recipients is Newcastle University, which the Foundation has supported since 2012 with several programmes, including the development of the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, PHD studentships on the Cancer Prevention Programme and over 35 PhD studentship posts across the University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences.

Their newest education facility is named in her honour.

In 2000, she established the Nancy Barbour Award with her daughter Helen, an annual programme within the Women’s Fund to recognise organisations helping women to play a more active part in the community, particularly those who work with a disability. Dame Margaret established the award in memory of her late mother-in-law, Nancy Barbour, who, in addition to leading Barbour while her husband served in the Second World War, also championed women’s causes and encouraged women to fulfil their potential.

A year after establishing the Nancy Barbour Award, Dame Margaret received the honour of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to industry in the North East.

In April 2020, Dame Margaret turned over the factory in South Shields to make PPE garments to support local NHS Trusts in the fight against COVID and helping combat the national PPE shortage.

Dame Margaret continues to display outstanding innovation and generosity and has given a tremendous amount of support to the region, making her a worthy winner of our 2020 Lifetime Achievement award.

When approached for a comment on the accolade, Dame Margaret said, “My daughter Helen and I are so proud of everything Barbour has achieved. When I first took over in 1968 in the saddest of circumstances, I don’t think I would ever have believed I would be accepting an Award like this.

“I believe the key to our success has been that we have always stuck to our founding principles and family values and practiced good housekeeping, leaving money in the business both for the bad times and the good; this has never been more important than today with the current challenges we all face.

“From the very beginning, I knew that I could not do it all by myself, so this Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all of my staff from my MD Steve Buck, my senior management team and all of our employees worldwide.”

While the Barbour we know today has changed in some ways from its start in 1894 – much has stayed the same.

At its heart is family, and with Dame Margaret’s grandchildren now showing interest in the business (sixth generation of Barbours) we’re sure that its legacy will long continue.