Dame Margaret Barbour is to receive a Special Recognition Award for her contribution to the fashion industry at upcoming Fashion Awards 2024.

The award “honours outstanding contribution to the fashion industry and longstanding commitment to British excellence and innovation”. 

Dame Margaret, who has led luxury outdoor wear business Barbour as chairman for over 50 years, was first appointed to the J Barbour & Sons board in 1968 after the death of her husband John Barbour. 

Having been appointed chair in 1973 she then went on to design the three jackets (the Bedale, the Beaufort and the Border) that helped make Barbour a household name. Today, they remain in the range and continue to be bestsellers.

She has continued to innovate the brand through industry leading partnerships with Erdem, Ganni and Gucci Continuum. She’s also a fierce advocate for more sustainable fashion, implementing circular practices across the brand under the umbrella name, Wax for Life, offering re-waxing and repairs and extending the lives of wax jackets through Barbour Re-Loved. 

For AW24, she’s overseen the launch of Quilt for Life, a new service in the UK to repair and continue the life of quilted jackets.

Over the course of her career, Dame Margaret has also launched multiple charitable initiatives including The Barbour Trust (now Foundation). To date, the foundation has donated over £29 million to charitable causes.

She said: “Barbour means so much to me – I took over the company in the most difficult of circumstances and as we celebrate our 130th anniversary this year, I think my late husband John would be very proud of how far the company has come and what I have achieved in making Barbour the recognised global lifestyle brand it is today. This Award, however, would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of all of my management team and staff who have contributed so much to our success.”

Caroline Rush, Chief Executive, British Fashion Council, added: “Over the course of her illustrious career, Dame Margaret has championed creativity and positioned Barbour as a cultural leader, always staying true to the brand’s renowned craftsmanship and maintaining a clear focus on sustainability and giving back through charitable initiatives.”
 
The awards event takes place on 2 December at the Royal Albert Hall, London.