The Famous Five
The Famous Five
The Famous Five

The Famous Five

Celebrating the iconic garments that are the cornerstones of the Cordings collection and epitomise our ethos of practical style – built to last.

The Covert Coat

Given its well-documented history and enduring popularity since its conception by Cordings in the 1900’s, the iconic covert coat has a lot to live up to. But live up to it, it certainly does. This is one of those classic British style pieces that reaches across the generations and speaks both of fine quality and perfect practicality. Designed originally as a riding coat, the covert cloth is both durable and smart, hence its modern day incarnation as a trustworthy, comfortable, everyday overcoat.

The Cordings covert coat is part of the heritage of British gentleman’s clothing, so much so that the V&A museum have one of our very own covert coats in its permanent collection. Its versatility, immaculate tailoring, neat lines and functional style means that it has become a modern classic, much coveted the world over.

Not that this is the origin of its name – covert is a hunting term, from the French couvert meaning a thicket, which in English came to mean a hiding place for game birds. The tightly woven twill fabric and rail road stitching makes it very durable, thus designed to resist when charging through the brambles on horseback. Nowadays, however, it is just as likely to be seen on the man about town, appropriate for almost every occasion and an indispensable part of every man’s wardrobe.

The covert cloth is still woven exclusively for Cordings, to its original specification, by Fox Brothers in Somerset, a mill with an even longer heritage than Cordings, having been founded in 1772. The coat boast functional details, retained from its origin such as a poachers pocket, designed for game, but more usually used these days for newspapers, a deep centre back vent, which made the coat practical for horse riding, and still makes the coat more versatile today.

The Mackintosh

Thomas Hancock and Charles Macintosh, two nineteenth century inventors, between them perfected the process by which hard rubber was made pliable enough to be applied to cloth as a form of waterproofing. Hancock came up with the idea of sandwiching the rubber between two layers of cloth, known as ‘double texturing’. The same ‘double textured’ cloth is still used in Cordings Mackintosh collection today.

The first rubberised coats were marketed in 1824, revolutionising outerwear. Fifteen years later, when John Charles Cordings opened his first store in The Strand, he immediately saw their potential. He worked with Charles Macintosh to design an exclusive collection of practical and handsome styles for use on horseback and for the increasing number of motorcar drivers

The process by which a Mackintosh coat is made has not changed since 1824, the rubberised cloth is cut by hand, and made into a coat using glue, a skill that takes a year’s training to perfect. Today the mackintosh coats are popular as sophisticated and lightweight coats, but their heritage as early performance wear can still be seen in practical details such as leg straps, and deep back vents.

A fusion between technology and luxury craftsmanship, these coats have become timeless classics, completely waterproof, immaculately cut, versatile, extremely comfortable, resilient, crease-proof and hard-wearing. That perfect combination of British elegance and practicality, indispensable all year round. Fit for a King indeed.

The Tweed Jacket

Cordings introduced its first range of jackets in the 1920’s, to complement its range of outerwear and boots. The style of the three button jacket has changed little since this date, and Cordings has strived over the years to retain the elegant, fitted silhouette that is synonymous with British tailoring.

Nearly 100 years later, Cordings still works with British and Irish mills which helped define the collection. Harris Tweed, Shetland, and Donegal are always present. Cordings signature House Check , developed 30 years ago, is one of five ‘core’ shooting tweeds that are always offered year in a complete range of styles, from breeks to shooting waistcoats, caps and field coats, creating versatile and practical shooting suits. Rugged, weather resistant and warm, tweed is the king of country fabrics and, designed to blend harmoniously with the landscape, is the perfect choice for the gentleman engaged in country pursuits.

The Cordings range always includes at least two Harris Tweed cloths, and this is the only fabric produced in commercial quantities using traditional methods anywhere in the world. Each thread contains myriad colours, which weave together to create a cloth of immense depth and complexity. Tactile, warm, soft, breathable, adaptable, and reflecting all the glorious, subtle shades of our British landscape, today’s sophisticated tweed is a far cry from the old image of the dour, scratchy fabric sported by gouty country gents. Perfected through the decades, a Cordings tweed jacket is a thing of beauty; just the thing for today’s stylish country gentleman to hand down through the generations.

The Trouser Collection

The heroes of the Cordings trouser collection are made in cloths that have been worn by Country Gents and Gamekeepers for over a hundred and fifty years. Still made by Brisbane Moss a Lancastrian mill that has woven traditional fabrics such as moleskin, needlecord and corduroy since 1850. Collectively knowns as ‘fustians’ these cloths are characterised by their tightly packed weave creating a strong, sturdy fabric that is superbly hard wearing and holds shape when tailored.

Cordings are famous for our iconic trouser rail; with over fifty shades, with classics such as navy and olive, as well as the brighter shades that sit so well with tweed. The weight and sturdy structure of these cloths, and their ability to be dyed in rich vibrant colours make them as unique as a Shetland tweed. Our core collection of Corduroys, Moleskins and Needlecord are permanently in stock and are an essential element of the DNA of British country clothing.

The Tattersall Shirt

The authentic check shirts, much copied, never bettered. One of our more recent additions, the mens tattersall checked shirt was only introduced in 1900, but was adopted almost immediately as an indispensible part of a gentleman’s wardrobe.

Available in large or small checks in a range of colours, they were inspired by the check on the blankets worn by thoroughbreds at Newmarket. These classic shirts have become an everyday, odds on favourite and a winner every time. Made with traditional unfused collars, which creates a superior supple shape, a time honoured method.