The Last Stop
Ultimately, Barnfield is a story about community and connection. It’s a story about our very human drive to belong. Even those of us who might have chosen to walk the path less travelled still gravitate towards others who view the world through a similar lens.
“What comes easy won’t last. What lasts won’t come easy.”
Riding a motorbike is a very conscious decision. If we need to get from point A to point B, the easiest, most comfortable way to do that is to drive a car. But motorbikes are never about what’s easy. They’re about a sense of freedom, of adventure and expression.
Creating a jacket design that doesn’t already exist, that isn’t a duplicate of an existing style with a Barnfield label sewn in, isn’t easy. It’s been anything but easy. But it’s given me total freedom of expression to create something that I know I’ll be immensely proud of and that I know you’ll be proud to wear.
Those of you who secure a Lawrence Jacket will be part of a community. A group of people who connect with a specific design aesthetic and a way of looking at the world.
Early on, I was called out on social media. I was told (in all caps) that producing just 300 of the Lawrence Jacket was pretentious. I tried to engage with the guy, to explain that wasn’t my intention, that I’m not trying to create a false sense of scarcity or trying to make it elite. That as an individual, there’s no way I could ensure each jacket met the standards of quality that I’m aiming for if I made any more. But, as we all know, trolls are only really looking for one reaction.
That said, owning a Lawrence jacket will be exclusive in the true sense of the word. Even if we put the fact that only 300 of us will own one to the side, every single one will be unique thanks to Thomas Moore.
“What if we could create a bespoke piece of art to line the inside of the Lawrence jacket? Not just a pattern but a piece that told a story, that spoke to people and that connected us all.”
Thomas and I met two years ago after a mutual friend reposted one of his pieces of art on Instagram. I was blown away by the intricacy, accuracy and sheer commitment that was evident in every single piece of work he'd published.
Starting with a pencil sketch of his subject, Thomas then moves on to using pens to create shadow, texture and depth with thousands, if not millions, of individual dots and lines.
As I scrolled through his work, an idea formed. What if we could create a bespoke piece of art to line the inside of the Lawrence jacket? Not a repeating pattern but a piece that told a story, that spoke to people and that connected us all.
Over countless conversations, that idea started to firm up. Like I’ve said, although the jackets are the business, this is a story about connection. And for me, so many of those connections have been made through the process of restoring and modifying motorcycles. Taking bikes that have been forgotten about and left to rot before pouring time, care and attention into giving them a second life. It was that sense of journey and of transformation that gave us our first seed to develop what has become an incredible undertaking.
Some pieces take hours, others take months. So far, Thomas has dedicated over a year and a half to our work.
Thomas’s artwork will span 1.5 metres in width and 3 metres in length and is made up of countless individual illustrations that collectively represent a journey through Great Britain as it transforms with the seasons.
Each jacket will need between 1.5 and 2 metres of lining. Because the print will be repeated on a roll of fabric and by creating the artwork to be 3 metres in length, it will mean that no two jackets will be exactly the same.
By making each jacket unique, it takes an already limited item and makes it next level rare.
“My genuine hope is that that decision will create more connections. Rather than spotting someone wearing a Barnfield jacket and walking past, there’ll be a reason to stop and talk to each other.”
My genuine hope is that that decision will create more connections. Rather than spotting someone wearing a Barnfield jacket and walking past, there'll be a reason to stop and talk to each other. What part of the artwork ended up on each jacket? What illustrations did Thomas use to represent the North or the South of the country? Which is your favourite?
Some of the illustrations are well known and well loved landmarks like York Minster, the white cliffs of Dover, or Stone Henge. Others are steeped in nature; birds, mammals and fish native to this country, whilst others like the Brough Superior pictured in the collection below, or the Spitfire are inherently British in their existence.
As you can see from the images above, Thomas’s work is considered, incredibly detailed and completely unique. Values that align perfectly with Barnfield.
“The moment people know it took you 50 hours, 100 hours, 2 years - it tells a deeper story.”
Aside from my hope around the connections Thomas’s work will help to make, we both want it to surprise and delight. With the sheer amount of illustrations, the complexity of the whole piece and the level of thought and detail that’s gone into each one, we want you to see something new every time you pick it up.
Here’s a bit more background in Thomas’s own words:
“It’s been a journey of years now, and what a journey it's been. When we started throwing ideas around, the very word ‘journey’ was at the beating heart of our conversations. How could we capture a sense of movement and adventure whilst rooting the design in a very particular place, the British Isles?
When Mark first approached us, we immediately knew this was the rarest of moments, a collision of brands that complimented each other, and the opportunity to create something truly unique for people. It took us months to navigate the next design steps, celebrating a slower pace in building ideas and the excitement that comes with staring down at the blank canvas of this jacket lining.
The challenge was translating such a rich story into ink, simple marks of dots and lines. It’s this very story that led the way though, and it soon became clear that we needed to capture individual moments that sung to each jacket owner. A blend of unique moments that walked hand in hand with each individual jacket. From cooking on open fires to surfing winter waves, hiking through Scotland to throwing a rod out on the River Test. The ink was crafted in a nod to the modern moment, with lashings of tributes to our heritage, both stylistically as a design studio, the inspiration for the jacket itself, and this remote northern Isle we call home. The result is a journey through the UK that will mean something different to each of you, but will spark the same warm feelings. This lining is a companion for your next steps - a map of times past that sings to the moments ahead.
A final note: it’s been the greatest pleasure to design this with Barnfield, and an honour to craft some ink that each of you will wear. Here’s to that next adventure!”
So far, nothing has come easily or quickly in this project but as they say, what comes easy won’t last and what lasts won’t come easy.
By registering your interest, you’ll be the first to know when preorders finally open up. I’ll be firing out an email 24 hours before opening up to the public as my way of thanking you for your support. As of today just over 1200 people have signed up to be notified. Click here to join them and I’ll make sure you’re on the list.
