> Nigel Cabourn

Nigel John Cabourn was born in the UK in 1949, first attending Newcastle Upon Tyne fashion college at the age of 17. In his final year at college he created his own company, 'Cricket Clothing Ltd' which he exhibited in Paris at the SEHM menswear show 3 years later.
In 1996, the first Nigel Cabourn stand alone store opened in Covent Garden, London. His collection has two lines, the 'Main Line' and 'Authentic Line', both are designed by Nigel himself.

The Authentic Line - Black Label- is all produced in England/Scotland (in genuine British fabrics wherever possible) which have a heritage for quality and durability.

The British factories used to produce these garments are old, established manufacturers who in some cases even produced for the British Army in WWI and WWII. These factories provide a good foundation for the original and niche design of the Nigel Cabourn Authentic Line. The actual designs are inspired from Nigel's personal collection of over 4,000 vintage pieces which mainly consist of British military wear and workwear from 1910 to 1950s.

The Main Line - Green label - is made up of styles produced to better effect in Japan- made mainly in factories personally approved by Nigel Cabourn. approved. He selects styles for this line that need refined artisan skills and/or special dyeing, washing, finishing techniques (which Japan is especially good at doing).

The design inspirations are the same too for the Authentic Line, and the whole direction of the Main Line - including designs and fittings- is done by Nigel himself.

The Main Line collection is a more contemporary and military inspired line than the Authentic Line collection.

> about the collection

For a/w 09, the collection has been inspired by cold weather and extreme conditions - in particular those encountered by George Mallory and Sandy Irvine on their 1924 Everest Expedition. Mallory and Irvine climbed Everest in customised military clothing, made from British wool and mountaineering tweeds made in Scotland.
George Mallory wore a traditional three-piece Harris Tweed suit with giant sheepskin boots to accompany Irvine. This is a signature outfit in the collection which represents the style of British Mountain clothing.
The colours in this collection follow the tundra, the peat, the rocks, the aged snow and the mountain peaks. Knitwear is essential in extreme conditions and the Nigel Cabourn collection has heavy knitted worn items to embellish its outerwear collection.

The Spring/Summer 2010 collection BURMA is inspired by the contents of Nigel’s Father’s army handbook. He used this as a diary during his time in India and Burma between1942 and 1945. The photographs his Father J.E.W. Cabourn took on his box brownie camera and the clothing that he wore form the basis of the collection and is a tribute to him and his companions