Nigel Cabourn Beeswax Cameraman

Nigel Cabourn's collections have been and always will place a large focus on the fabrics and finish in each garment. The Cameraman or Rangoon parka has quickly become regarded as a best-in-class item by anyone who's seen it in person. The design is clean, functional and looks fantastic. It's without doubt the nicest parka I've seen and I'll probably regret not acquiring the fall version in grey on grey for years to come. The spring version uses a Beeswax upper portion and a cotton twill lower body for a lighter weight and interesting contrast in material. This navy blue option just released at The Bureau and might be a slightly more wearable choice for most people. The yellow and khaki version should be ready with with us in our first offering of Nigel Cabourn at the Inventory Stockroom, which we're quite excited for. —

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Nigel Cabourn: New Website & S/S 10 Preview

Nigel Cabourn's website has just been relaunched and among other things, it features a full preview of his Spring/Summer collection. I won't say too much about it now as I'm sure we'll be highlighting many of these things in detail over the next few months. Overall though, it's based on the contents of Nigel's father's army handbook. He used this as a diary in Burma and India between 1942 and 1945. Many of the new pieces are inspired by photographs he took and the clothing he wore at the time. The rest of the site provides all the information you'd expect with trademark attention to detail. The imagery is well chosen and beautifully presented, the product shots are great and there's several interesting sections under development. The highlight though has to be the glimpses we're given of Nigel's vintage collection. There's five pieces featured at the moment, but I'd imagine this section will gradually be updated, providing rare insight into the inspiration behind the brand. On a side note, I'd also like to thank Nigel, Drew, Ali and everyone else at Cabourn for using my words and James' photography as part of the biography. To be included is a massive honour, not only for us personally but for Inventory as a whole. — Nigel Cabourn Spring–Summer '10 Collection Nigel Cabourn Vintage Collection Pieces

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Mono Workwear Journal

Last night, looking through the photos of Nigel Cabourn that James Pearson-Howes took for the first issue of Inventory, I came across this one. It's a great shot but it also reminded me I meant to do a post about the magazine he's holding. Nigel showed us a lot of amazing things during our visit, but this was particularly good. Launched in the summer, it's an exhaustive guide to workwear in all its forms. The first issue pays particular attention to American garments and the meticulous culture of reproducing them that exists in Japan. The text is obviously in Japanese and as always, that can be frustrating. However, many of the old catalogues it features are in English, while the imagery and overall depth definitely make amends for not being able to read every word. It's far from cheap, but at over 300 pages it's an incredible resource and actually more like a book. The follow-up has now been released too. It's just as long, and the main focus is on British workwear and how this continues to inform modern clothing design. For me, things like this are an investment - something I can see myself referring to regularly in the future. Both issues are currently available from Superdenim, and aside from a little magazine I mentioned at the start, it's probably the best new title I've 'read' all year. —

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Nigel Cabourn Mountain Shirt Jacket

I'm not really too big on flannel over shirts for the most part. I like them but I don't really wear them all to often. I have two or three favorites that pretty much get all of the love from my closet. Lately however, I've been really liking some of the brown/beige flannel options I've seen. The first one to turn my head was by Gitman Vintage at Roden Gray. I've been thinking about it the last couple weeks as it's been a bit cold, but then I found the Mountain Shirt by Nigel Cabourn. This is pretty much the perfect version of an over shirt. The colours are great together and I really like the straight cut of the body. The woven buttons are a great touch and as usual from Nigel Cabourn, you can expect superior materials and finishing overall. The soft alpaca/merino blend is apparently quite warm - which apparently our friends in New York could use right about now. The shirt is made in Scotland and available at End.

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Nigel Cabourn Sherpa Knit

Nigel Cabourn's knitwear seems to lose a little bit of the spotlight due to his outstanding outerwear. While it deserves the attention, the knitwear this fall comes in a more affordable price and still offers a great product, top notch fabrics and are made in the UK. This Sherpa V neck knit is made in Scotland from 8 gauge natural wool and is an ideal layering piece about this time of the year. I can't get too excited about merino V neck sweaters, so I feel you might as well step it up to a little more substantial piece and it will look much nicer. The light shade of the sweater would go well with a variety of shirts underneath and likely best with a navy sport coat on top. It was another one of the pieces I wish I could bring home from Japan but it's fortunately still available at Coggles.

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Nigel Cabourn Mallory Jacket

While the legacy of Nigel Cabourn is back and stronger than ever this fall, you'll have to pick up a copy of issue Number 01 for an in-depth look at the man and his brand. Our Fashion Director, Simon Roe, wrote a great piece titled 'Nigel Cabourn: The Ascent in Context' – which is worth buying the issue for alone in my opinion. It's said the that some of the more technical outwear pieces are the stars of Nigel Cabourn's work, but there is one piece that he seems to be wearing himself a fair bit, and I wouldn't mind doing the same. The Tenzing jacket originally, is now known as the Mallory after is slightly updated modifications. The Harris Tweed / Ventile combination is at it's prime with this rugged sport coat. The 6-button front comes in a handful of tweed patterns and colours, my favorites being this perfect navy blue, and a more teal-infused blue which nobody seems to have bought in North America or Europe. The Mallory is one of my favorite items from Nigel Cabourn, and sure to be a closet staple for decades to come. —

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Nigel Cabourn WWI Belt

The WWI belt from Nigel Cabourn's fall collection seems to be moving quickly. I'm not sure if it's because it's a perfect brown leather belt or because it's by far the most affordable piece in the collection. Taking inspiration from the British Mountain Forces waist wear, the tough brown leather accessory is about as simple as can be, but with nicely treated metal, two belt loops and the leather roll on the buckle, it stands apart. Although the piece might seem somewhat insignificant when surrounded by such incredible knits and outerwear, it also feels like a very acute representation of the brand. Available at END

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Nigel Cabourn @ Opening Ceremony

We've given a fair bit of attention to Nigel Cabourn's fall collection this year and why not? It's amazing. An unexpected stockist, Opening Ceremony, just received their shipment of the season's offerings from the English designer. We can finally see those lovely prices in landed USD and run for cover. Well, maybe not. The prices are high but the products are probably better than anything you can buy. From the quality to the materials to the 40 years of research the lead to this collection, it is worth the money. I personally can't afford to buy the gray Cameraman parka but I would love to. I think it's the best parka for sale this fall and the Macintosh/Harris Tweed body feels great and fits even better. It will be interesting to see how Opening Ceremony do with the collection this fall. Their stock list continues to grow exponentially and the store seems to have more product than racks - but at least their online merchandising has taken a step up with nice quality photos this fall.

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