Nigel Cabourn has worked in the fashion industry for over forty years, but his clothing has little in common with most people’s concept of the word fashion. He is influenced not by trends but a longstanding passion for vintage clothing, fabric and details.These elements have formed the basis for much of his output over the years and continue to be a vital part of his collection today.

Nigel has collected vintage clothing for over 30 years and has an archive of over 4,000 pieces, including salvaged British Military uniforms and workwear and a trove of exploration garments unearthed from all corners of the globe. It is this ever increasing vintage collection that is the cornerstone of each collection, not a response to a particular trend or general demand. Each collection has a real story, sense of history and integrity underpinned by the highest level of quality.

The original inspiration for the Authentic Line was Sir Edmund Hillary and the 1953 Ascent of Everest; it was first launched in its present form in 2003 to coincide with the 50th Anniversary. This was such a remarkable human achievement and the clothes worn were basically all military, customised for the climb. Nigel had many of the originals in his vintage library so he set about recreating them as close to the originals as possible. He used British manufacturers and original British fabrics. Nigel produced a collection without compromise and where certain components were no longer available they were specially made.

Today every Authentic Range follows the very same philosophy, it will have a real story and sense of history and integrity but at the highest level of quality.