In the latest round of drumrolls for the Fashion Awards, the British Fashion Council’s fashion fundraising event slated for Dec. 2 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Margaret Barbour, chair of the British fashion label J Barbour & Sons, has been named the recipient of a special recognition award.
Being honored for her contributions to the fashion industry and longstanding commitment to British excellence and innovation, the doyenne of the family business was appointed to the board of directors in 1968 after the sudden death of her late husband, John Barbour. In 1973, she became chairman of the now 130-year-old company and has led the company for more than 50 years.
In the 1980s, she designed three of the brand’s bestselling jacket styles: the Bedale, the Beaufort and the Border. The jackets continue to be popular today as they have reached cult status on TikTok. High-profile collaborations with brands including Erdem, Ganni and Gucci Continuum also have helped Barbour increase its visibility in the fashion industry.
British royals have been longtime fans. Barbour received three royal warrants from the late Duke of Edinburgh in 1974, the late Queen Elizabeth in 1982 and King Charles, then Prince of Wales, in 1987. In 2021, King Charles unveiled a plaque at the Barbour factory in England to celebrate the centenary of the company’s re-waxing service.
She has also launched multiple charitable initiatives during her decades-spanning career. In 1988, she founded the Barbour Foundation to support charities and important causes, mainly in the northeast of England. It has donated more than 29 million pounds to date. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she utilized the factory in South Shields to make personal protective equipment for the NHS.
“Barbour means so much to me — I took over the company in the most difficult of circumstances and as we celebrate our 130th anniversary this year, I think my late husband John would be very proud of how far the company has come and what I have achieved in making Barbour the recognized global lifestyle brand it is today,” Barbour said.
“This award, however, would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of all of my management team and staff who have contributed so much to our success,” she added.
Caroline Rush, chief executive officer at the British Fashion Council, said Barbour is well deserving of the recognition for her contributions to the fashion industry and continued commitment to British excellence and innovation in the brand’s 130th year.
“Over the course of her illustrious career, she has championed creativity and positioned Barbour as a cultural leader, always staying true to the brand’s renowned craftsmanship and maintaining a clear focus on sustainability and giving back through charitable initiatives. We look forward to celebrating with her in December,” Rush added.
The Fashion Awards is the primary fundraiser of the BFC Foundation, which aims to support the future growth and success of the British fashion industry by focusing on education, grant-giving and business mentoring.
Having unveiled nominees for the 2024 Fashion Awards, and recipients for the Special Recognition Award, which goes to Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou of 10 Magazine, and photographer Tyler Mitchell for the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, more announcements, such as the Trailblazer Award and the Leader of Change Award, are expected to be revealed in the coming months, leading up to the main event, which counts Pandora as a headline sponsor.
