It’s the collaboration that keeps on giving: style icon Alexa Chung has created a fourth collection for iconic British heritage brand Barbour. And for spring/summer 2021 it doesn’t disappoint – long line macs and bright boxy jackets make for wardrobe pieces that you’ll want to cherish for a long time to come.

‘The design process began once again at Barbour HQ’s impressive archive in South Shields where I identified shapes and fabrics I was drawn to,’ explains Chung, who launched her eponymous fashion label ALEXACHUNG in 2016. ‘On this occasion, it was the equestrian pieces which particularly caught my eye.’

While not immediately obvious, the equestrian influence is apparent in the generous application of pockets across the range. ‘I became fixated on adding pockets,’ explains Chung, ‘The top pockets once more commonly used to store sugar lumps for horses are now on offer to stash your favourite lipstick so you can leave your handbag at home.’

Chung’s ‘all-time favourite’ style is the Maud, a brown, double-breasted casual jacket inspired by an archive piece dating back to 1910. The original is officially named the Haydon but is affectionately known as ‘Uncle Harry’s jacket’ (so-called because it was worn by a pioneering wildlife photographer, who would bike to the hills to capture golden eagles – passed down in his family for more than 80 years, it is still in remarkable condition). John Lewis & Partners is also proud to stock the Cyril Waxed, a short style inspired by the Barbour Bedale Wax Jacket – a must-have style in the equestrian world when it launched in 1980.

While her inspiration evolves, Chung’s formula when designing always stays true to her personal approach to dressing: ‘to balance more masculuine shapes with something distinctly quite feminine’. This is evident in the Delia – a short, quilted orange coat that offers a fashionable and cosy take on the classic trench. And the Julie Jacket, a modern spin on an archive mac that retains the button fastening but feels contemporary thanks to its revised, A-line silhouette.

So, whether you’re planning on galloping for the hills or staying put in the city, this new collection will have you covered.