Foraging Notes: The New Barn Jacket
Foraging stemmed from what I can only describe as a ‘irritation, or frustration’ with the natural world—encountering something on a walk and being unable to name it, understand its place in the ecosystem, or determine its edibility. I notice the same curiosity in those who join me, as rust fungi, lichens, plant galls, earthstars, tree burrs, and fallen beech branches spark endless questions. It is the patient, observant act of foraging that unveils such wonders, drawing them into focus.
There’s a luxury in the unhurried exploration of wildlife—a simple, tactile joy that modern life rarely affords. Whether truffle hunting, foraging wild edibles, or wandering on safaris, these are moments spent away from the city, immersed in the woods or countryside. Phones silenced, thoughts stilled, we’re left with nothing but our Gokan—the ‘five senses’ in Japanese—to guide us, sharpening our connection with nature.
Just as foraging mirrors the rhythm of the seasons, so too does clothing. Spring is for harvesting the freshest strawberries for pavlovas, while autumn’s game season at The Quality Chop House or fall’s hairy crab feasts in China provide their own culinary delights. Similarly, the time for linens comes and goes, as does the moment cashmere becomes indispensable. Everything, after all, has its time and place.
We are no foraging gurus in any ways, but there are some books we adhere to— trust the masters of the field. The first one is The Forager’s Calendar by John Wright. Apart from being an incredible writer, John Wright is the seasoned, eccentric foraging guru that used to make regular appearance on River Cottage. What he sets out to do is create a book that outlines species you can forage on a month-by-month basis, and he breaks it down with funny anecdotes and recipes. He outlines the seasonality of species, an in-depth identifications guide, ruling out what’s poisonous, the actual dos and don’ts in wildlife. If you intend to wear the Forager Barn Jacket for outing, this is the first book to fit into the pocket.
Back in the house for hosting, this is the second book you should have. Another book I absolutely loved is Mushrooms by the late great Roger Phillips. Beautiful photographs of mushrooms documented. It is a book to keep around the house, a beautiful coffee table book that’s humble, unlike one of those fashion books that clearly no one has flicked through. From adventurous forager to creative cook delving into cuisines, it makes cooking processes seem a little inaccessible or out there approachable, turning simple cooking to an experience you can create for yourself or people you enjoy spending time with. It is an activity that can take up the whole day. The ethos recalls the farm-to-table, nose-to-tail dining so masterfully done in Asian cuisines, and in Britain by the renowned St. John.
Barn Jackets: Heritage Worn Well
Rooted in farm labour and steeped in history, the barn jacket embodies the spirit of ‘hard work for oneself’. Once a purely utilitarian garment, it has evolved into a wardrobe essential for all shapes, sizes, and genders. Its unisex appeal and flattering cuts, designed to move with the body, make it more relevant than ever. Barn jackets resonate as a love letter to a bygone era—an homage to a time that, though past, remains cherished.
The Forager Barn Jacket is our respectful nod to this tradition, seamlessly blending the strengths of iconic American brands like LL Bean with the rugged elegance of British classics like the Barbour jacket. The result? A contemporary reinterpretation of workwear’s rustic charm.
Crafted with the ethos of our ‘Sueded’ series, this jacket is made from a water- resistant, windproof, and breathable performance fabric treated with an enzyme wash. The cloth, sourced from a leading textile mill in Como, Italy, balances modern synthetics with durability and comfort, emphasising agility and lightness.
Foraging through grassy, muddy terrains, plucking and kicking up dirt and pollens, the Bistre, a brownish-yellow colour is the ideal camouflage to hide all these stains, and is a colour that doesn’t offend, and it exudes a sense of natural harmony. Bistre is a pigment made from soot. Historically, beechwood was burned to produce the soot, which was boiled and diluted with water, creating that rich, earthy colour.
Function Meets Elegance, Finding Linkage With The Anthology
Extending the idea of our ‘Sueded’ series where textiles come with a sueded finish, this piece is crafted from a water-resistant, windproof, and breathable performance fabric with an enzyme treatment wash. Consciously sourced from a leading textile mill in Como, Italy, the blended cloth strikes the perfect balance of protection and comfort, with synthetics lending lightness without compromising durability, emphasising agility.
Built for movements, the jacket features a raglan-sleeve design, a robust yet straight body profile. The single-coloured silhouette is contrasted with thoughtfully placed corduroy accents on the cuffs, collar, and pocket trims for warmth and tactility. Its design combines practicality with understated elegance, achieving a balance between rugged workwear and refined style. Various pockets are equipped both externally and internally, with rain flaps also equipped for full weatherproof sensibility.
Though inherently casual, the Forager Barn Jacket transitions effortlessly into sartorial settings. Paired with suits or layered over tailored jackets, it’s an inspired step down from substantial outerwear, balancing rugged functionality with refined aesthetics.
45% Cotton, 16% Nylon, 39% Polyester
The Technical Barn Jacket is our contemporary take on the traditional workwear jacket. Inspired by the rustic charm of countryside, its design pays homage to heritage workwear while fabrication is updated with respect and modern sensibilities.
Extending the idea of our ‘Sueded’ series where textiles come with a sueded finish, this piece is crafted from a water-resistant, windproof, and breathable performance fabric with an enzyme treatment wash. Consciously sourced from a leading textile mill in Como, Italy, the blended cloth strikes the perfect balance of protection and comfort, with synthetics lending lightness without compromising durability, emphasising agility.
Built for movements, the jacket features a raglan-sleeve design, a robust yet straight body profile. The single-coloured silhouette is contrasted with thoughtfully placed corduroy accents on the cuffs, collar, and pocket trims for warmth and tactility. Its design combines practicality with understated elegance, achieving a balance between rugged workwear and refined style. Various pockets are equipped both externally and internally, with rain flaps also equipped for full weatherproof sensibility.
Mostly casual, but for a sartorial flair, pairing it with suits and jackets is equally ideal as a step down from substantial outerwear.
Pair this with: all sport jackets for elevated pairing, or with knitted sweaters and Civilman Trousers.
Also available in Burnt Umber and Hunter Green.
100% Japanese Cotton
Suitable for all smart to casual settings, there is nowhere this pair of trousers can’t take you.
Civilman Trousers are the relaxed versions of your tailored dress trousers. Like a chino, it is at the same time a step-up of the rugged jeans/classic denim. It embodies a modest and courteous image, mostly casual with a hint of dressiness. The cloth is the ultimate highlight. The ecru denim is elevated by subtle dispersed flecks of espresso or black, like vanilla pod in ice cream. It evokes an instinctive raw-looking charm, adding an extra layer of casualness to the garment.
This design is based on the classic five-pocket denim, built-in with curved inset pockets on the sides of the front with a coin pocket (formerly referred to as a watch pocket). The traditionally big patch back pockets are purposely replaced with our signature anchor-shaped flaps. Cut for a mid to high-rise, straight-legged, perfect for tailoring and casualwear. Wear them pressed with the centre crease or without, up to your preference.
Pair this with: Uppers we recommend Deep Blue Linen Shirt,Boating blazer in Dark Beige/Ink Boating Stripes, short sleeve polo in club navy or tennis white and our knitted t-shirts Navy/White Nautical Stripes, Brick Red/White Nautical Stripes or any colours in our classic knitted t-shirts such as caramel,mustard, navy.
Care tips: Cold wash (below 30°C) by hand or machine, hang dry only. Due to the nature of the cloth, a total of 1.5cm length shrinkage may apply from the first few machine washes.
Also available in other fabrics.
Size Chart
Hybrid designs are a common theme in the house’s footwear design. Retaining the excellence of traditional English shoemaking, this is yet another design that pushes the envelope of legendary English-shoemaking house Crockett & Jones. This is our take on a completely unlined dress loafer.
Named after a small coastal town, it comes with the sensibility of relaxation. It has the comfort of a small, quaint town, but a sharp design for the big city. We envision this to be the softest possible shoe for dress use. Made structureless on the upper, it is suitable with tailoring or suits for an elevated look. It is an elegant shoe with a more angular toe box, featuring sharper lines to compensate for its completely unlined structure.
Crafted in luxurious milled calf, a soft calfskin that is comparable to sheepskin, with a buttery soft dark brown surface dressed with natural fine grains with no after-finish. To complement the softness of the design, the overall shoe is completely unlined. Do note this is lasted on a 72 last but due to its unlined structure they carry a sharper profile.
This incredibly soft shoe is yet Goodyear welted, made the old English way. Box and individual shoe bags included.
Summary:
• UK sizing
• E fitting
• 72 last
• Milled calf upper
• Leather SUPERFLEX sole
If your size is not available, kindly email customercare@theanthology.net for special orders.
68% Cotton, 20% Silk, 12% Merino wool
A soothing palette with a luxuriously soft hand combined with a slight vintage feel and visuals, the shadow stripes give subtle depth and definition to the piece. A shirting piece that weighs heavily on casualness, but at times can also dress up if needs be.
The design features a special chest pocket design with jetted seam finish. The construction is where it differentiates from our other creations. We opted for the softest interlining for collars and cuffs, giving a more pared down, unfussy aesthetic to make the narrative whole. The wear experience is incomparable. It is an absolute delight to wear against the skin. Very smooth with minimal friction points. Fabrication is still machine-washable.
Pair this with: Civilman Trousers in Deep Olive, Khaki, or Taupe. Goodman Jacket, Sport Jacket, or Lazyman Jacket in Camelhair and Navy Bouclé.
Product Details:
Mother of Pearl buttons
22-23 stitches per inch (SPI)
Split yoke
Box gusset
French seams (on the sides and sleeves)
Misalignment under the armscye
Care tips: Cold wash (below 30°C) by hand or machine, hang dry only
Delivery Time: Dispatch in 3 weeks
Remark: Due to the nature of this product, it is not eligible for return/exchange/refund
Size Chart
(Check out our video tutorial here)
50% Wool, 20% Polyester, 15% Alpaca, 15% Mohair
Navy is a man's best friend, but there are only so many one can own. We made this navy just a little different from your usual ones by adding a single teal yarn to create a slight green cast that combines gracefully with blue. This is the third iteration of our navy Lazyman Jacket, with all details refined, and it is likely to be the final version of its kind. It is a piece with slightly reinforced weave, in special woollen spun technique which leads to an extremely soft, louche, and fuzzy creation. Designed for the city, the multi-purpose jacket is suitable for all seasons.
The Lazyman Jacket is The Anthology's signature product - an unconstructed jacket made for the modern man. This version is designed to be a cardigan-like garment that is an alternative to your work blazer. The product features 3 functional pockets, rollable sleeves and adjustable side tabs at the back. Woven by a specialized mill in Biella, Italy, the fabric offers a unique hairiness that is slightly reminiscent of tweed but with a surprisingly fine cashmere touch, a mix of vintage and urban sartorialism.
This is the third iteration of our navy Lazyman Jacket, with all details refined, and it is likely to be the final version of its kind.
Textural galore, beautiful bouclé chenille weave mimicking toweling cloth for all-year-round.
Also available in other fabrics.
Pair this with: Sweaters, polos or shirts, and any Civilman Trousers.
Born from a boat shoe, a silhouette we are all familiar with, yet also equipped with a mountaineering look and sensibility, this is a hybrid design that is built for everyday use with casual and sartorial wear. Distinguishably more elegant and well-crafted than the mass-produced boat shoe, we retain the soul of traditional English shoemaking excellence through the expertise of Crockett & Jones, resulting in this luxurious everyday moccasin. This pair is equipped with waxed shoelaces and metal eyelets.
On a 391 last, it features a short vamp, purposely designed for casual shoes only. Crafted in luxurious milled calf, a soft calf skin that is comparable to sheepskin, with a buttery soft dark brown surface dressed with natural fine grains with no after-finish. To complement the softness of the design, the overall shoe is softly-lined, giving a more flexible toe box for better comfort. This design comes with a lasted chunky wedge sole, Goodyear welted. Box and individual shoe bags included.
Summary:
• UK sizing
• E fitting
• 391 last
• Milled calf upper
• Rubber wedge sole
If your size is not available, kindly email customercare@theanthology.net for special orders.