Land Rover multiplies British heritage with Barbour fashion collaboration

By Joe McCarthy

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Barbour for Land Rover

British automaker Land Rover is partnering with British fashion label Barbour for a 2014 autumn/winter line.

Aside from a shared heritage, both brands value design and durability, which will be reflected in the clothing line. When automakers venture into new product categories, following the lead of a trusted designer makes sense.

“Barbour is another quintessential brand with a huge following and consumer base and we’re excited to bring them this collection, drawing from Land Rover’s heritage and inspired by the brand’s contemporary design, as well as offer our fans and owners a series of men’s and women’s outerwear pieces and accessory options that merry their lifestyle,” said Stuart Schorr, vice president of public relations and consumer affairs at Jaguar Land Rover North America, Mahwah, NJ.

Country and city

The “Barbour for Land Rover” collection will feature both menswear and women’s wear. The two upcoming ranges will be modern interpretations of rural traditions, according to Land Rover.

Barbour for Land Rover

British countryside and a “Country Lux” style lend the design sensibility to the new tartan pattern seen throughout the collections.

A lifestyle collection will include jackets, quilts, gilets and other wax and wool knits, accessories and matching luggage.

The Black Label is a more versatile line, suitable for both country and city to reflect the many environments that Land Rovers can be found in. Knitwear with a black gloss trim pack and jackets are available in Black Label.

Barbour for Land Rover
Auto brands and fashion labels routinely partner to share the enthusiasm of loyalists.

Both lines sought to create ergonomic pieces that display modern and older techniques.

Intersections

For instance, Italian menswear brand Ermenegildo Zegna designed a capsule collection of active attire with Italian auto company Maserati for its yacht team.

Both brands are now selling the line on their Web sites, with Maserati touting the collection through an email blast. With this partnership, both brands are able to communicate their shared Italian history and heritage, while allowing Zegna to capitalize on Maserati’s household name (see story).

Also, German automaker BMW polished the appeal of its BMW i8 model with an exclusive luggage line crafted by Louis Vuitton.

The luggage set includes two travel bags, a business case and a garment bag and were crafted to mesh with the i8. Since the i series represents both an engineering and philosophical shift for BMW, gaining seals of approval from highly-respected brands helps to usher in the change (see story).

“”The ‘Barbour for Land Rover’ collection is reminiscent of our vehicles, fit for purpose, luxurious and stylish,” Mr. Schorr said.