Independent Parisian fashion label Maison Kitsuné has teamed up with English heritage brand Barbour for a collaboration which combines classicism with modernity. The Maison’s iconic fox appears across quilted and waxed cotton jackets, while legacy silhouettes are reimagined through colour blocking.
Reversible jackets and totes offer every outfit versatility, working with utilitarian rooted items such as the bucket hat, which bridges the gap between heritage and streetwear. For the collaboration, Barbour’s function-focused designs are imbued with fresh energy, which sees Maison Kitsuné’s playful approach to design find a new format. The collection is designed to be life-proof and suitable for both urban and rural environments.
Maison Kitsuné shared the following statement on the collaboration: “Our two brands deeply care for excellence, craftsmanship and innovation. Barbour has an incredible heritage in outerwear, and it was a fascinating experience to work on a collection together. Sharing our creative visions, developing a new narrative, and rethinking iconic silhouettes was fun, spontaneous and exciting.”
The outerwear offering consists of a Maison Kitsuné x Barbour Beaufort Patchwork Waxed jacket, a quilted jacket and a waterproof jacket. Other clothing items include a knitted jumper, shirt and cargo trousers, with accessories arriving in the form of a tote bag and bucket hat.
Maison Kitsuné is a multi-faceted Paris-meets-Tokyo brand that draws inspiration from the cultural and aesthetic connections between the two cities. Its influences range from tailoring to streetwear to form a playful, wearable and comfort-focused wardrobe.
Barbour is a heritage brand that was founded in South Shields in 1894 with a focus on waxed outerwear, with the headquarters still located in Simonside South Shields. The brand caters for its country wear roots and has also expanded into a full lifestyle label, even designing for dogs.
Ian Bergin, Director of Menswear for Barbour, said “Working with the Maison Kitsuné team has been a great learning experience. Set up in 2002 by Gildas Loaëc & Masaya Kuroki, the ‘House of the Fox’ clothing brand has always been such an interesting proposition. Part of a company that spans music and cafes as well as clothing, it epitomizes an irreverent sense of fun combined with a genuine chic Paris-Tokyo aesthetic. Creating a joint character motif with the fox was at the heart of the collab and has worked very well as an icebreaker in introducing Barbour DNA and construction as a nod and a wink to the everchanging fashion business that is the heart of Maison Kitsuné. It’s an impactful micro-collection across wax jackets, quilted pieces, bags, hats and clothing, which really merges together a playfulness and attention to detail and craft.”
The collection will be available to shop from October 4 on Barbour.com and MaisonKitsune.com
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