Jolene x Yarmouth Oilskins

After a long drive to the East Coast, Ted’s Cafe, which is conveniently a few blocks down from Yarmouth Stores, provides a full English breakfast menu and suitably strong tea served on formica tables behind steamy windows; it’s a welcome relief and you know the drill immediately. With no hesitation we pull up chairs, re-fuel and contemplate our next mission.

Over the last year, we have been travelling the breadth of the country discovering craftspeople and uncovering expertise. Our next stop is Yarmouth Oilskins, who have been making British workwear for over 120 years, most notably the oilskins and smocks worn by those working on, and by, the sea. Durability and versatility being key, it’s a simple yet beautiful thing to be able to make garments like these, that happy meeting where function meets form.

We get an equally warm welcome from the team at the factory upon arrival. I love visiting garment manufacturers, but especially ones with the rare history of Yarmouth Oilskins, whose heritage remains relatively unaffected. With more patterns than a Savile Row tailor hanging from the walls of the cutting table, this is clearly the place to come to design and develop our own workwear styles. After an excited discussion, we set to work around our ideas, accompanied of course, by another cuppa.

The extensive archive is housed in the loft but Sharon, the factory manager, knows exactly where some of the old patterns for bakery smocks could be and we start exploring.

We soon find what will become the starting point of our first Jolene smock, it is based on a 1960's pattern of a design made for a local bakery. The team advises us on the fabrication and trims, and we sketch up our first designs which we agree to sample after the dusty old patterns are amended first, it’s a lovely process.

This design and production process of traditional methods has been followed by craftspeople for decades. A sign above the cutting table "Quality is YOUR responsibility" a value system that quietly underpins everything we believe in at Jolene.

Over the following months we spend time diligently going back and forth fitting the samples, finally deciding on a style so they can be garment dyed to achieve exactly the colours we want. We are exceedingly happy with the results - the pieces have just the right combination of movement and durability, the colours are lovely, with a soft worn-in touch.

Our affectionately named Baker Smock and Baker Trouser are now available to order from our online store. Set to become a wardrobe staple both inside and outside the bakery, how will you wear yours?

Put the kettle on and have a browse.