In Pictures: Barbour launches womenswear collection with The William Morris Gallery

Barbour has launched a 10-piece womenswear collection with The William Morris Gallery, the museum dedicated to the life and work of the influential arts and crafts designer, William Morris.

The collection blends heritage designs from Barbour’s archive with two of the most instantly recognisable prints from the William Morris archive, the ‘Eye Print’ and the ‘Wey Print’ which were designed in 1883.

There are six pieces of outerwear, two dresses and two shirts, and the leafy and floral prints have been reinterpreted in bold new colours which "offer a sympathetic yet modern take" on the classic artworks.

Nicola Brown, Director of Womenswear at Barbour, said: "William Morris is known all over the world for his incredibly detailed and instantly recognisable art works. Here at Barbour, we are delighted to be working with The William Morris Gallery to blend these beautiful prints with clothing designs from our own archive.

"There is a timeless nature to this collection that comes from the long and celebrated history of both Barbour and William Morris, and I am looking forward to customers discovering this new range."

Outerwear in the collection is available in classic olive and navy tones in both quilted and waxed variations. Neatly tailored, the traditional designs are lined with eye catching William Morris prints which provide bright pops of colour.

In contrast, the clothing in the range features a bold all-over print. Described as "ruffled and romantic", the shirts and dresses in the range are "dramatic yet delicate", making them stand out pieces.

Hero pieces include the Barbour ‘Shelton’ wax jacket, the ‘Isabella’ quilted jacket, the "playful" ‘Isabella’ mini-dress, which has a ruffled high neck collar and full sleeves, and the ‘Rendall’ shirt - featuring sunflowers and marigolds which were the inspiration for William Morris to create the ‘Wey Print’ back in 1883.

The accompanying shoot for the launch of the collection is based around "bold shapes, strong colours, flora and fauna, emphasising nature". The inspiration aligns with the ideologies of William Morris and ‘simplicity in nature’. The collection was shot in England’s oldest surviving topiary garden, Leven’s Hall in Kendal, Cumbria.

The full collection is now available on in Barbour stores, on its website and at selected retail partners.