BARBOUR X WP: A FRIENDSHIP BORN IN 1984

Throughout its 40-year history, WP Lavori in Corso has introduced numerous brands into the Italian and European fashion ecosystem, influencing their styles and tastes more than anyone else. Perhaps one of the most important ones, truly connected to the retailer by a strong and real friendship, is Barbour. The iconic British brand will be the main character in the next episode of WP Stories, the series of exclusive interviews to explore the history of WP Lavori in Corso’s archive. For this special event, Dame Margaret Barbour and her daughter Helen have personally visited WP Lavori in Corso's archive. To further emphasize the importance of the occasion, the two guests have also announced the release of a special capsule collection co-designed with Ian Bergin, director of the brand's menswear collections, who also will be part of the episode with an exclusive interview. The capsule collection consists of three garments celebrating different phases of the brand's life: the classic Speydale model, recalling the brand's debut on the Italian market as an outdoor brand; the Wool Bedale, a perfect portrayal of the 1990s, when the brand became synonymous with lifestyle; and finally the Game Parka, a model created exclusively for the Italian market, a true snapshot of the partnership between Barbour and WP Lavori in Corso.

The beginning of the relationship between WP Lavori in Corso and Barbour dates back to 1984, when buyers from the Italian retailer scouted one of the brand's waxed jackets in London, immediately realizing its enormous commercial potential. Dame Margaret Barbour, who even then headed the company, saw in the partnership with the Italian retailer the potential not only to expand its market but also to reposition Barbour as a true lifestyle brand. In fact, the family business, founded in 1864 as J. Barbour & Sons, was at the time still very small, producing a limited range of styles and colours, and manufacturing everything in-house, while being focused especially on clothing for sailors, river workers, motorcyclists, and Royal Navy officers. The in-house production system also allowed for handcrafted repairs guaranteed by the brand to its clientele as part of a sustainable policy, a forerunner of the environmental concern that dominates fashion today. Inside the workshop, there was even a table with all the items left in Barbour jackets that were returned for repair: fish hook boxes, maps, children's toys. It was then granted to WP Lavori in Corso for exclusive distribution in Italy, and the commercial channel was soon opened. At that time, Barbour jackets were waxed with a strong-smelling but unmistakable product of animal provenance, which perfectly protected the garment but left it vaguely greasy. New, less invasive natural waxes were then introduced, making Barbour garments suitable for a much wider audience, so that it was able to become a true lifestyle icon only a few years later. By the 1990s, Barbour coats became a favorite among the British Royal Family: primarily Queen Elizabeth, who wore the durable Barbour jackets on her visits to Balmoral Castle; Lady Diana and her children, who appreciated the simple, functional but unmistakable style. Then, when WP Lavori In Corso introduced the brand in Italy, thanks not least to the support of CEO Steve Buck, and Barbour's popularity grew by leaps and bounds. Even, it was necessary to expand its production, including full-look collections and catalogs for women and children. In 2009, Barbour and WP Lavori in Corso celebrated 25 years of fruitful collaboration with a party in Glenagle. It further strengthened the deep bond between the two founding families of the brand and its distributor. Today, WP Lavori in Corso also celebrates an important anniversary, which is why the two leading members of the Barbour family travelled to Bologna to celebrate it. Find out how it went in the new episode of WP Stories, available online soon, and don't miss the drop of the new Barbour X WP 40TH ANNIVERSARY exclusive collection.