James Darby Smocks: Made in Manchester

It's over seven years since I met James Darby on a visit to Manchester (see here). James is a designer tailor who works with his team from his Manchester studio where he individually hand cuts and makes the garments he designs. On that visit I was struck by his creativity and skill and by the novelty of the garments he created, which have a strong outdoor/workwear element to them, as befits their origins in the city of Manchester which was at the heart of the growing cotton industry from the eighteenth century.

James Darby Ventile FaceSmock

James sent me a couple of his FaceSmocks for me to try, one in bright yellow Ventile and the other an orange cotton drill. Although both are similar in design and construction, they are very different garments. The Ventile smock makes a practical, water resistant and breathable jacket which I've been wearing to walk my dog Harry in all but the heaviest of rain. The green and orange cotton smock is more of a stylish fashion jacket, providing a colourful layer with a strong work/outward bound look but no particular weather resistance.

James Darby cotton drill FaceSmock

I've been a lover of the mountain smock style of jacket since I wore one as a young teenager exploring the mountains of Wales, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Cumbria. The smock is highly weatherproof and usually has capacious pockets for map, camera, sandwiches etc. It can be less convenient than a zipped jacket as it has to be removed over the head and can be warm on hot days. However, I love it as a practical protective coat with a strong heritage.

If I further tightened the hood it would give even greater facial protection

James designed and engineered what he calls the C19 FaceSmock to enable the hood to give your face full protection from the elements and easily adaptable for use as a face mask if required. They come in a variety of cloths from the yellow weatherproof Ventile to cord, denim and a variety of colours in heavy cotton drill. Mine are well-made, fit beautifully and have some nice details around the pockets, hood (with its highly effective facial protection)  and cuffs that add to their practical nature. 

It's a pleasure to own and wear something a little different in design and tailor-made in Manchester. Prices vary from a reasonable £115 to £250. 

Website https://www.jamesdarbyclothing.co.uk/ where you can see more from James Darby's clothing range

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jamesdarbyclothinguk/ 

See also my recent post on the Ventile mountain smock from Hilltrek.