The short answer: 2026 marks 90 years of Barbour International. The line was born in 1936, when Duncan Barbour — a keen motorcyclist and the third generation of the Barbour family — built a waxed cotton suit for the International Six Day Trials and named it after the event. Ninety years on, the same blueprint still defines it: the slanted map pocket, the belted waist and the four studded pockets of the A7.

90 years of Barbour International: the timeline

1936: a suit built for the Six Day Trials

The International Six Day Trials was the hardest test in motorcycling — six consecutive days of endurance riding across open country, in whatever the weather did. Duncan Barbour rode it himself, and in 1936 he built the kit he wanted for it: a one-piece waxed cotton suit that kept the rain out and took the punishment. He named it after the event.

That is the detail worth holding on to. Barbour International was not a fashion line that borrowed a motorcycling look — it was competition kit that later became clothing. Everything the modern range does still traces back to a garment designed to survive a week in the saddle.

The A7: what makes an International jacket

The jacket the suit became is known in the archive as the A7, and its details were all answers to problems a rider actually had:

• The slanted map pocket. Angled across the chest so it could be reached and opened while seated on the bike — the single most recognisable feature on any International.
• The belted waist. A stiffened belt to stop the jacket riding up and wind getting underneath at speed.
• Four studded pockets. Storm-flapped and secured, because an open pocket at 60mph is an empty pocket.
• The storm collar and throat strap. Fastens tight at the neck to seal out weather.
• Waxed cotton. The Original is still cut in heavyweight 8oz Sylkoil waxed cotton, with the matte, lived-in finish that ages rather than wears out.

Ninety years on, those same lines show up across the range — including the name itself. The A7 Overshirt in the current collection borrows its name straight from the archive, cut in garment-dyed washed cotton canvas with a corduroy collar.

From the ISDT to Steve McQueen

The International's reputation was built by the people wearing it. Through the 1950s, 60s and 70s it was effectively the uniform of the ISDT paddock — worn by virtually every rider on the circuit, and by British teams right through to 1977.

Its most famous moment came in 1964, when Steve McQueen and the US motorcycling team rode the Trials in East Germany in Barbour Internationals. That image — McQueen, off-road, in a belted waxed jacket — did more for the brand than any campaign, and Barbour returned to it in 2011 with its first Steve McQueen collection, launched to mark the jacket's 75th anniversary.

Barbour vs Barbour International: what's the difference?

This is the question we get asked most, and the answer is simple: they are two lines from the same family firm, built for two different places.

In short: same heritage, different job. If you want the country jacket, that's Barbour. If you want the slimmer, sportier, city-and-weekend version with the motorcycling DNA, that's Barbour International.

The 90th Anniversary collection

To mark the milestone, Barbour International has produced a commemorative capsule — anniversary graphics, archive-inspired prints and 90th badging applied across tees, polos, sweats and jackets. Two of them are in stock at Spiral Seven now.

The 90th Anniversary Graphic T-Shirt is cut in a relaxed fit from heavyweight 210gsm cotton, with an embroidered commemorative graphic on the chest and an archive-inspired print across the back — a gold vintage motorcyclist, straight out of the brand's Six Day Trials history.

The 90th Anniversary Polo Shirt takes the quieter route: lightweight 180g cotton pique in a tailored fit, monochrome with high-shine tipping and tonal branding, and a small 90th Anniversary badge at the hem. It's the one you can wear anywhere without announcing it.

Both are limited runs, and sizes are already thinning out. Shop the full Barbour International range.

How Barbour International fits

Barbour International uses three fits, and the label on the product page tells you which one you're looking at:

• Slim — cut close, especially through the body. Size up if you want room to layer.
• Regular — true to size. Order your usual.
• Tailored — true to size with a little more room through the chest.

For full chest measurements and how to measure yourself, see our Barbour International Sizing & Fit Guide.

How to wear it this autumn/winter

Barbour International layers better than almost anything else in the wardrobe, because it was designed to be worn over things.

• The anniversary tee under an overshirt. Black tee, navy A7 Overshirt, dark denim. The easiest good outfit in the range.
• Polo, quilted jacket, boots. The 90th polo is monochrome enough to sit under any of the quilted or waxed outerwear without clashing.
• Keep the palette tight. Black, navy, grey and one flash of colour is the Barbour International formula — it's why the pieces mix so easily with everything else you own.

Shop Barbour International at Spiral Seven

We're an official UK stockist of Barbour International, with the anniversary pieces, overshirts, jackets, polos, tees and caps in stock. Free next-day UK delivery on orders over £70, and easy returns. Shop Men's Barbour International.

FAQs

When is Barbour International's 90th anniversary?

2026. The line dates to 1936, when Duncan Barbour created the International suit for that year's International Six Day Trials. Barbour marked the jacket's 75th anniversary in 2011, which puts the 90th in 2026.

What is the Barbour International A7 jacket?

The A7 is the archive name for the original International motorcycling jacket. Its signatures are the slanted map pocket angled for access in the saddle, a stiffened belted waist, four studded storm-flap pockets and a throat-strap collar, cut in heavyweight waxed cotton.

Is Barbour International the same as Barbour?

Same family firm, different lines. Barbour was founded in 1894 in South Shields and is rooted in country and outdoor clothing. Barbour International began in 1936 as motorcycling kit and is sharper, sportier and slimmer, with a full casual range alongside the outerwear.

Did Steve McQueen wear Barbour International?

Yes. In 1964 Steve McQueen and the US motorcycling team rode the International Six Day Trials in East Germany wearing Barbour Internationals. Barbour launched its first Steve McQueen collection in 2011.

Does Barbour International fit true to size?

It depends on the fit named on the product. Regular and Tailored fits are true to size; Slim fits run close to the body, so size up if you want to layer underneath.

What's in the 90th Anniversary collection?

Barbour International's anniversary capsule spans tees, polos, sweatshirts and jackets, using commemorative graphics, archive-inspired prints and 90th badging. At Spiral Seven we're stocking the 90th Anniversary Graphic T-Shirt and the 90th Anniversary Polo Shirt, both in black.

Last updated: 29 July 2026 · Spiral Seven is an official UK stockist of Barbour International.