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Barrie is a Scottish company specializing in the production of luxury cashmere collections. Founded in the Scottish Borders in 1903, Barrie was acquired by Chanel in 2012.. . A “Barrie” brand was launched in 2014.

History
In 1903, Walter Barrie and Robert Kersel opened a factory specialized in the production of high-quality stockings. Located in Hawick, a small Scottish Borders city 52 miles from Edinburgh, the company soon added cardigans and pullovers to its offering. Barrie thus manufactured the famous two-tone model designed by Gabrielle Chanel in the 1920s.

In 1962, the company took the name of Barrie Knitwear Ltd. In 1975, it moved to a new factory in Burnfoot specially designed for cashmere. Barrie started working for top names in fashion such as Chanel, an activity that continues to this day.

In October 2012, Barrie Knitwear Ltd was acquired by Chanel. Discussing the acquisition, Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at Chanel, said: “(…) Barrie has been working with (Chanel) for over 25 years (…). With this acquisition, we are reaffirming our commitment to expertise and traditional savoir-faire.”

Barrie presented its first own-label collection for fall-winter 2014-2015. Each collection is designed in the House of Barrie's design studio in Paris, and then produced in Hawick, Scotland. Barrie lines, comprising sweaters, overcoats, ponchos, skirts, dresses, joggers, beanies and mittens, quickly won praise from customers and the media for their creativity and modern style.

In 2014, Barrie opened its first shop in Paris, followed by a second in London. Today, the brand is active in 22 countries. In France, it has locations in Paris, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Nice, Biarritz, Avignon, Bordeaux, Courchevel and Megève. Elsewhere in Europe, it is present in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In Asia, it is available in Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. Barrie collections are also marketed in Russia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Scottish tradition
Knitting was an important activity in the Scottish isles in the 17th and 18th centuries. Families generally made sweaters, socks and accessories. Wool contains natural oils that offered fishermen essential protection as they went off to sea.

This activity was industrialized in 1771 with the arrival of four looms. In 1845, more than 2,000 of Scotland's 2,605 looms were located in the Scottish Borders, and the city of Hawick alone accounted for half of these.

Following the acquisition by Chanel, the company invested in high-tech production equipment. Barrie's workforce increased from 176 to 230 employees between 2012 and 2016.

Barrie cashmere
Cashmere is a particularly rare and valuable animal fiber. Annual worldwide production comes to no more than 5,500 tons.

Cashmere wool is obtained from the neck region of the Hircus goat, which lives on the high plateaus of Inner Mongolia, in China. The goats have a dual coat to protect them from the extremely harsh winters in this region: a thick superficial coat and a second coat, nearer to the body, made up of short, fine and very warm fur known as down. In spring, the goats naturally lose their winter coat, which shepherds harvest manually using combs. The fibers of the two coats are then separated. Only the down, warmer than sheep's wool despite being 10 times lighter, is considered authentic cashmere. Barrie selects cashmere for the fineness, length, uniformity and softness of its fibers, using this wool to produce garments that are both silky and supple.

Spun in Scotland using an optimized mixture of fibers of differing length and diameter, Barrie cashmere is dyed and tinted using sophisticated color harmonization techniques developed exclusively for the company.

Traditional expertise and modern technology
The company uses the most high-tech equipment, including automatic machines featuring a sophisticated digital design system. Barrie relies on manual as well as technical expertise, as many processes are carried out by hand by the production center's highly qualified craftsmen.

Up to a week of programming is required to translate the most sophisticated patterns into computer language before the Japanese-made Shima Seiki knitting machines can be put to work. In addition to these cutting-edge machines, traditional Bentley looms are used for monochrome items. Thanks to their perfectly even needle beds, these devices are capable of creating the highest quality dyed cashmere.

Every garment, regardless of its level of complexity, is manufactured using the “fully fashioned” process. This process consists of building and knitting each part of a garment in a single piece of fabric according to the size and cut of the model. The fully fashioned process is the opposite of conventional woven, cut and stitched garments.

Some 40 procedures are involved in knitting and assembling a garment. The majority of these steps are carried out by hand; it is a time-consuming process requiring considerable expertise.

Once knitted, the different parts of a garment are washed in water from the Teviot River, located nearby the workshop. This exceptionally pure water opens up the cashmere fibers, making them remarkably soft. This essential step requires the specific expertise developed by Barrie's Scottish craftsmen. Only they are authorized to touch the fibers and set the exact time for washing. The fabric would clump if overwashed, while underwashing would make the cashmere rough.

After drying, the product is steam ironed. This step helps ensure that the garment is straight and properly cut. The neck may then be cut manually, and items such as pockets and buttons and sewn by hand.

Then comes a second quality check and ironing, followed by a third and final six-point quality check.

The Barrie brand
Since the brand inaugurated its Paris studio in 2014, four collections per year have been designed in the French capital. Sketches are sent to the workshop in Scotland, where the knitting machines are programmed according to the measurements and patterns of each garment.

Barrie offers a comprehensive wardrobe: pullovers, cardigans, skirts, dresses, trousers, overcoats, t-shirts, beanies, gloves, etc. Collections stand out as a combination of poetry and modernity. Barrie clothing and accessories are instantly recognizable thanks to exclusive colors, volumes, patterns and details. The traditional striped jersey is revisited with vibrant stripes, while sleeves feature the iconic thistle, the floral emblem of Scotland, knitted in 3-D. This cutting-edge technique makes bold stylistic innovation possible, enhancing knitwear with simple or sophisticated relief textures using tone-on-tone or contrasting colors

Buttons, manufactured by prestigious artisans such as the costume jeweler Desrues, Chanel's traditional supplier of buttons and accessories, are decorated or painted by hand to feature the Barrie logo in tone-on-tone porcelain.

Transmission of expertise
Inaugurated in 2012, the Barrie training center helps young people acquire the technical skills necessary to work for the company.

18-month or 2-year training programs perpetuate a unique legacy combining traditional savoir-faire and cutting-edge innovations.

Collaboration
In 2015, the jury of the 30th International Festival of Fashion and Photography in Hyères, chaired by Chanel Image Director Éric Pfrunder, awarded a special prize to the young Greek photographer Evangelia Kranioti in recognition of her artistic exploration of the life, travels and intimate space of sailors throughout the world. Although her research had led her to port cities in 20 countries, Ms. Kranioti had never been to Scotland.

The House of Barrie thus invited her to discover this land of mystery and legends. Captivated by the country and the passion of Barrie craftsmen for their cashmere, the artist immortalized them in a film and a magnificent collection of photographs

Celebrities
For its first collection, fall-winter 2014-2015, Barrie chose Lily Collins as the face of the brand. Many famous figures have since embraced Barrie creations, including actresses Kristen Stewart, Selena Gomez, Sarah Gadon, Kirsten Dunst, Blake Lively and Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as Sofia Sanchez de Betak, Audrey Marnay and Daphné Bürki.