Barbour International Greens Jacket

It is the 75th anniversary of the Barbour international jacket and in celebration Barbour has launched the limited edition Original Greens jacket along with the Distressed Original Greens jacket. Only 75 of each are available in North America and we’ve got the non distressed in stock.

We are the exclusive retailer of this exciting homage to Barbour’s motorcycle history in Vancouver.

A Brief History

Barbour made it’s A1 one piece suite in 1936 in a dark green wax. In 1940 the suite was adapted for military use and became standard issue for Britain’s submariners and was known as the Ursula suite. It was turned into a two piece jacket and trousers for the Naval officers who served in WWII.

In 1947 the international made it’s way into civilian life for motorcyclists, and in 1951 the left breast pocket was slanted for easier access to maps or for a trials time card. Two years later the International Jacket was dyed black and became the official uniform for the Vincent Owners Club. Vincent were the makers of the worlds fastest standard motorcycle at that time. In 1957 97% of the riders at the international six day trials were wearing Barbour internationals. This is where the name of the iconic Barbour motorcycle jacket came from, the International trials.

In 1964 Steve McQueen and the whole of the US team purchased Internationals in London which they wore to compete in the 1964 ISDT in East Germany. Let me stop here to tell you that there are three of my favourite things in that one sentence: the International, Steve McQueen, and East Germany.

The Original Greens is lined with Barbour’s ancient tartan, and comes with a snap in liner, and a pin badge that looks much like the one Steve McQueen sports in the photo above.

We will have the Original Greens available online very soon. If you can’t wait drop us a line: shop@lark.me or (604) 879-5275