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Caring for a wax jacket
Care guides|October 2025
A timeless outerwear staple, Barbour’s classic waxed cotton jackets are known to last for decades with proper care.
Interviews|August 2025
Susanna Cognigni on functional beauty and creative collaboration
Susanna Cognigni is our senior shoes and accessories designer, leading the design of our women’s footwear and bags since our first collection in 2017. For the past few years, she has been based in Civitanova, a seaside city in the Marche region, where most of our shoes are produced, and near where she was born and raised in a large family of shoemakers.
With both parents and most of her relatives working in the shoemaking business, Susanna was introduced to the craft from a young age. ‘It was just something I was always surrounded by. In the summertime, when school was closed, I would help my father in his workshop, designing and cutting leather, and drawing chalk lines where the stitches would go. Now, after more than 20 years in the trade, it’s incredibly valuable for me as a designer to understand how products are made,’ she says.
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The Marche region, on the east coast of Italy, has a shoemaking tradition dating back to the 1400s. Today, specialists in every aspect of the shoemaking process – from the last maker to the tanneries, heel and sole makers, and those crafting trims and hardware – can be found in towns like Civitanova.
‘To me, that’s the main benefit of making our shoes here. Most of the companies are small and family-owned, and there’s so much knowledge and skill passed down through generations. I have a very close relationship with the people I work with – from the owners of the companies to the seamstresses and leather cutters. The design of our products is developed in dialogue with them. They refine our ideas, and sometimes, they even bring their own suggestions. It’s a beautiful exchange.’
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In her work with ARKET’s collection, Susanna favours a simple, unadorned, and – above all – functional aesthetic. Rather than relying on trims or embellishments, the shape of each shoe is what gives it character. The process begins with the last – a wooden mold used to shape the shoe, precisely customised to each individual design, which lays the foundation for the rest of the shoe’s components.
‘We design for the modern woman, someone who has a lot to do during the day – going to and from work, dropping off or picking up the kids, or going for an aperitivo in the evening. So, what she wears must be practical and comfortable. It’s easy to make a beautiful shoe, but it needs to be functional; otherwise, it won’t be worn. With a garment, you might tolerate a little discomfort since you can still move freely, but with shoes, comfort is essential,’ Susanna says.
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Care guides
Suede
Care guides|August 2025
Suede is crafted from the underside of leather hides, offering a soft, fuzzy finish. Due to its delicate nature, it is important to properly care for your suede products to extend their lifespan.
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Linen
Care guides|August 2025
Linen is a strong natural fibre that gets softer with use and time. It’s breathable and has a soft texture. Caring for linen properly helps maintain its natural characteristics.
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Down
Care guides|August 2025
Down is ideal for lightweight insulating outerwear because it creates a warm thermal barrier next to the body. Treat your down products with special care to maintain their level of performance.
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More editorial
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Pattern with purpose
Design|December 2025
This winter, we present a new collaboration with Stockholm-based artist Evelina Kroon, created in support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. A limited-edition plaid blanket in blue, white and red that continues our shared conversation on colour, textiles and everyday objects – now with a wider purpose.
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Polkapojkarna
Suppliers|November 2025
Rooted in Sweden’s sweet-making tradition, Polkapojkarna is a small confectionery based in the town of Gränna – the birthplace of the red-and-white peppermint stick known in Sweden as polkagris.
Caring for a wax jacket
Care guides|October 2025
A timeless outerwear staple, Barbour’s classic waxed cotton jackets are known to last for decades with proper care.
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On living in a small world
Notes|October 2025
For our new design collaboration with British outdoor specialists Barbour, we spent a few days on the island of Gotland earlier this year, capturing the distinctive landscape of sea, stone, and open skies, and the lives of people who live and work there.