One of the oldest materials in the world of outerwear, we explore the development of our shearling coats by our UK based collaborator, Owen Barry.
Few materials can trace their origins beyond the Stone Age, but Shearling has clearly stood the test of time.
Shearling is the pelt of a lamb that has been uniformly sheared to obtain the same depth and feel throughout. The combination of sueded leather on the outside and soft wool on the inside makes shearling ideal for garments that will withstand not only the coldest temperatures, but be durable enough to be passed down for generations.
When we set out to create our first shearling coat, we searched for a maker with experience in both tanning and manufacturing. Owen Barry was a natural choice. The founders, Walter and Amy Barry, opened their first tannery in a small village in Wiltshire during the late 1800’s. Seventy years ago their sons moved the workshop to Somerset, where it remains to this day.
The Owen Barry Family tradition benefits from five generations of expertise and decades old relationships with their suppliers to secure the best materials. Each fleece is a bi-product of the food industry, part of a process focused on sustainable production.
We were particularly drawn to shearling because it is a unique material, offering a hardy suede exterior whilst insulating the wearer with a naturally curly soft fleece. The contrast between the fleece and tanned outer makes a natural contrast that works well with winter layering.
Each section is painstakingly matched to ensure consistent color and texture across the garment. Final details such as buttons, toggles and stitching are equally as important.
Inspired by Alain Delon’s coat in the film Once a Thief, we adapted the details to fit our Armoury style — shrinking the collar and lengthening the body so that it can easily be worn over tailoring. The “thief” pocket is hidden behind one of the overlapping panels, providing a secret compartment for your most valuable possessions.
We drew inspiration from Trevor Howard’s character Major Calloway in the 1949 production of Graham Greene’s The Third Man. The styling of our duffle coat is fairly classic. We focused on important details like the shape of the hood, horn toggles and raising the top buttoning point to keep the cold out.
