Lord James Percy - ambassador for Barbour

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As one of the manufacturers that springs to mind whenever the phrase "country clothing" is uttered, Barbour has very close ties with rural England. The classic styling of Barbour clothes is mirrored in traditional countryside sports such as game shooting and fishing.

Many people who enjoy rural pursuits buy Barbour clothing because of its reputation for exceptional good looks, performance and durability. One such Barbour customer was Lord James Percy, the Duke of Northumberlands youngest brother.

However, he felt that although the esteemed brand created country clothing of the finest quality, a few little tweaks in the areas of practicality and styling could make a big difference.

Lord James Percy and Barbour

Lord James Percy is a man with a passion for shooting and loves nothing more than a red grouse shoot out on the moors. Rated by "The Field" as one of the top fifty shots in the UK, Lord James is quite exceptional and has been known to bring home the greater end of a 40 brace of grouse from a shoot.

He owns a large area of land in Northumbria which includes many acres of moorland. In recent years, Lord James has been reintroducing grouse to the moors and has been setting up a shooting business. The many hours he spends out on his beloved land means that he has an awful lot of time to test his Barbour country clothing and identify any aspects of it that could be improved.

When Lord James met Dame Margaret Barbour, the chairman of the Barbour company, he could not resist a little constructive criticism of the brand.

According to Lord James himself, he said, "Dame Margaret, can I just say something about your coats? Theyre beautifully made and all that, but theyre pretty crap for actually doing anything in. You cant swing a cat or shoot a pheasant in them."

After Dame Margaret got over her initial surprise at the forthright comment, Lord James displayed some country jacket designs he had come up with. Although he did not have any formal education in fashion and clothing, designing had always been an interest and he had modified his own clothing from a young age.

His prototypes impressed Dame Margaret and he was invited to become an ambassador and clothing designer for Barbour. He created the Northumberland Range, first available in autumn 2005, which focused on four jackets that were made specifically for shooting.

The first of the changes he made to Barbour jackets to make them better for shooting was to design the sleeves so that they would accommodate a raised gun without making the jacket ride up. Other alterations Lord James came up with were to make the jackets from moleskin for quietness and button-open pockets so that the shooter can easily access a pocket of cartridges.

The success of the small Northumberland Range prompted Lord James to extend the Barbour range with a leather gilet and a yard coat both created with practicality in mind.

A selection of fine country clothing and equestrian equipment at Dogwood

Like Lord James, we know that country clothing has to be comfortable, attractive and practical for its purpose and you will find nothing but that in our range. With an exclusive selection of Hunter Wellington boots and jackets, as well as a fine collection of jumpers and body warmers, you can find an excellent choice at Dogwood.

As well as country clothing, we also have a collection of premium equestrian wear for both competition and casual use. Our selection ranges from smart dressage shirts to comfortable jodhpurs, and also includes a wide choice of riding hats and other safety equipment.

Dogwood also offers premium horse tack made by internationally-recognised companies such as Stubben, Crosby, Bates and Wintec. Browse our selection and find beautifully-crafted saddles, bridles, girths, martingales and bits.

If you would like to find out more about any item in the Dogwood range, please telephone 0845 30 10 365.

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