From mags TO riches Textile mill saved by Chanel is truly back in style on the cover of fashion bible
IT was saved from the brink of closure by one of the biggest names in fashion.
Now, five years on, Barrie Knitwear has reached the pinnacle of haute couture – being modelled by supermodel Cara Delevingne on the cover of this month’s Parisian Vogue.
The 114-year-old textile mill in the Scottish Borders has had a remarkable turnaround in fortunes since it was bought by Chanel in 2012.
Its future looked uncertain when parent company Dawson International went into administration but the luxury French fashion house stepped in at the 11th hour, paying an undisclosed sum to become the new owners and safeguarding 170 jobs.
At the time, Chanel’s President Bruno Pavlovsky said: ‘Through this acquisition, we reaffirm our commitment to traditional expertise and craftsmanship, and our wish to safeguard their future.’
In the years that followed, the Hawick firm – which has been proBorders ducing cashmere knitwear for Chanel since the 1980s, including the brand’s iconic two-tone cardigans – has launched its own signature range; opened boutiques in Paris and London; increased its workforce to almost 250; invested £1 million in new equipment; and opened a training academy to ensure the Borders’ rich textile heritage is not lost.
Once known for its traditional twin sets, Barrie’s designs, worn by Hollywood stars such as Keira Knightley, Lily Collins, Kirsten Dunst and Dakota Fanning, have become increasingly fashionable.
While the firm still makes 90,000 cashmere sweaters a year, its latest Fall-Winter collection – modelled by US model Charlotte Free – features asymmetrical jumper dresses, brightly-coloured beanie hats and a see-through lace ‘maxi kilt’.
Items sell for between £300 and £2,000.
Miss Delevingne showcases the mill’s black cashmere turtleneck sweater on the cover of Vogue Paris’s October edition.
Clive Brown, Barrie’s sales director, told The Scottish Mail on Sunday: ‘Barrie has been renowned for the excellence of its know-how ever since its creation in 1903.
‘Alternating classic designs and bold models with exclusive prints and cuts, Barrie collections have succeeded in taking cashmere into unexpected and desirable territory.’
Mr Brown said the factory’s workforce had jumped from 176 in 2012 to more than 230 today while the training school, set up in 2012, was helping to sustain a unique heritage by combining tradition with innovation.
The mill’s success has been widely welcomed. David Breckenridge, CEO of Textiles Scotland, said Barrie was a great example of how traditional Scottish skills remain hugely relevant in today’s highly competitive market for luxury products.
Borders MP John Lamont said: ‘Barrie is real success story of the Borders textile industry. Barrie has demonstrated what can be achieved when traditional skills are honed and celebrated.’
‘Barrie is a real success story of the industry’