Cordings has long been a name synonymous with British country clothing, and few garments are more characterful than a jacket cut in traditional British tweed. First introduced in the 1920s, our classic three-button jacket remains true to its original form, defined by a timeless silhouette rooted in British tailoring.

Nearly a century on, Cordings continues to work with British and Irish mills that define the collection. Harris Tweed, Shetland and Donegal remain at its heart, alongside our signature House Check. These core shooting tweeds are offered across the full range, from breeks and waistcoats to caps and field coats, forming complete, practical shooting suits.

Naturally warm, weather resistant and hard-wearing, tweed is the definitive country cloth, designed to perform in the field while sitting comfortably in town.

The Cordings range always includes Harris Tweed, woven using traditional methods in the Outer Hebrides. Rich in colour and texture, modern tweed is soft, breathable and built for life – a jacket to wear now and pass on.

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 coat is the ultimate work horse in your wardrobe. Team it with a city suit, crisp silk tie and poplin shirt for town, or with a country suit, tattersall shirt and lambswool jumper in the country. Timeless, effortlessly smart and perfectly tailored - it has earnt its reputation as British Style Genius

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.

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.

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.