Press Kit
In Brief
Barnfield Customs was founded in January 2020 by Mark Warman.
Based in Nottingham, we craft limited edition jackets. Modern classics handmade in England inspired by military uniform, heritage workwear and automotive culture.
With a focus on sustainability rooted in local production and natural fabrics, each jacket is launched through a limited pre-order to a growing waitlist of 3500+ individuals.
Our first jacket, The Lawrence, sold out in under 36 hours.
Keeping our community up to date throughout the process, we’ve developed a loyal and engaged fanbase. Each of the progress emails that were sent out to the Lawrence jacket customers are copied out in our blog and testimonials can be read here.
CONTACT
Mark Warman // Founder
mark@barnfieldcustoms.com
Mark’s Story
In 2017, I burnt out. I’d founded a digital marketing agency in 2007, initially running it out of a back room in my father-in-law’s house. 10 years later, we were signing 6 figure contracts, I had a team of employees and a roster of international clients. I also had heart palpitations, stomach ulcers and kidney stones.
Deciding there had to be more to life, I closed down my agency. I stepped away from day to day management and moved over to consultancy, helping clients integrate digital throughout their businesses.
That helped redress some balance in my life but I’d started my career as a designer and no matter how I filled my days, I always felt like something was missing.
“I wanted to make something tangible, something people could hold.”
So, in September 2018, I went back to my roots. Realising that there were very few genuine options, I threw myself into developing a sustainable athleisure brand.
But, after spending 18 months and thousands of pounds developing the brand, I ran out of steam. Although it brought all of my interests together - design, digital, clothing and community, something felt off.
At that same moment, walking into my folks house, I saw a picture of my Great Grandfather. It had always been there but in that moment, at that time, I felt an incredible connection with him.
He was stood holding a cane and wearing his WW1 uniform. I later found out that when he signed up to the war effort, every able bodied man who worked for him followed.
Seeing that picture was a pivotal moment. I realised that what felt off with the athleisure brand was that it was just as ephemeral as my work in digital had been.
A t-shirt, hoodie or sweatpants might last, especially if they’re well made with high quality fabrics, but they’re just as likely to be replaced by the next season.
We all know the fashion industry is a major contributor to environmental pollutants and infamous for its poor treatment of people.
If I was going to create clothing, I wanted to be part of the solution, not the problem.
Looking at the photo of my Great Grandfather, I asked myself ‘what would make him proud of me?’
That question became my North Star. I knew that any clothing he’d have bought would have been an investment.
And it would have had to last. He’d have held fabrics like gabardine and melton wool in high regard and wouldn’t have even recognised man-made materials like polyester and nylon.
As I fell into a research rabbit hole, I kept finding myself drawn to the jackets worn by the men who put their lives on the line to fight for a better future.
A combination of form and function, each of them were made to last. They were made in England using fabrics from British mills.
“In 2019, I sketched out the design for what would go on to be my first jacket. For the next four years, I worked every day to make it a reality. ”
Made from organic cotton gabardine, lined with British wool quilting and hand crafted in England, I opened pre-orders for the Lawrence jacket in May 2023. Less than 36 hours later, I’d sold out.
As part of the process, I offered one-on-one Zoom calls with each of the customers. On the surface, this was to look at measurements and make sure that the jacket they ordered would be the right fit. But beyond that, it was an incredible opportunity to get to know them better.
“The jackets are the business but ultimately, Barnfield is a story of connections and of community.”
I will always sell by pre-order to reduce wastage as much as possible. Each launch will be limited to the number that I can personally oversee to make sure we always meet the levels of quality that I expect.
Barnfield will always be a British brand, supporting local businesses and championing local skill and talent.
Mark Warman
Founder
Media Assets
All files are available in high res or vector and can be downloaded as zip files by clicking below. If you need a specific image or something’s missing, just let me know on mark@barnfieldcustoms.com.
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