Fashion Has Officially Escaped to the Country—From Kilts to Coats, These Are the Brands We’re Wearing

Land Rovers at the ready: we’re heading to the Great British countryside and so too, it seems, is an impressive number of luxury labels, with Countryfile a clear source of inspiration across the Autumn/Winter 26 runways and campaigns. We called it early in our Autumn/Winter 26 trend report, “clothes made to be worn in a green and pleasant land are what’s in season”. For proof, just look to the houndstooth and horse motifs at Chloé, or the dark florals and Fair Isle at Dries Van Noten, clashing checks at Marni and argyle prints at Acne Studios.

Of course, you can’t mention the British countryside without Burberry: trench coats and plaid aplenty. Nor can you traipse into the realm of field-ready fashion without mentioning the T-word: The Traitors, which may have now departed our screens, but leaves behind hours of Highlands style inspiration. Claudia Winkleman and her stylist, Sinead McKeefry, brought a punk twist to classic countryside looks for this series, creating sellouts in their wake. Just ask knitwear designer Genevieve Sweeney.

It even seems as if sleek, workplace-positioned brands have muddied their boots, heading out into the great outdoors in search of trees, fields and pubs to shoot their Autumn/Winter campaign imagery. Reiss, TWP and With Nothing Underneath, here’s looking at you.

The question is, why this sudden escape to the country? The words of Dr Carolyn Mair, a cognitive psychologist, fashion business consultant and author of The Psychology Of Fashion, in my deep dive into the rise of fruit and veg fashion last year seem to still ring true. “In times of economic uncertainty or social upheaval, there is a tendency to return to the basics, to celebrate the simple joys and essentials of life.”

Walking through fields, breathing in fresh air, wrapping up warm against the winter chill and trudging through woodland certainly tick all the boxes for life’s simple pleasures. Plus, the countryside comes with a rich aesthetic to boot, bursting with heritage prints, deep yet vibrant colour palettes and textures that bring extra interest to every look. The appeal for a creative director is near-irresistible particularly when interest in locally made products, heritage crafts and British-based labels continues to grow.

From the brands that are only just catching on to the countryside trend to those that have long been our go-to for heritage prints, stylish outerwear and homespun knits, here are our favourites.

Country-Life Labels Leading The Charge

ME+EM

ME+EM may have made a name for itself as the go-to for polished, everyday workwear staples, but it has increasingly become a favourite for off-duty pieces, too. Founder Clare Hornby is turning her attention to weekends, with highlights including the Pub jacket, brushed cashmere knits and flecked wool trousers.

Boden

British label Boden, goes from strength to strength this season with a collection featuring heritage checks, argyle knits with jewel-tone accents. This shearling-style coat and diamond knit are standouts.

Barbour

Founded in South Shields in 1894, Barbour is a staple of British countryside life, though you’re just as likely to see one roaming the streets of London as you are traversing a field. Claudia Winkleman has been spied in a few iterations of the iconic wax jacket on Traitors , the most recent being this deep-pocket Marron style.

Brora

Brora Founder Victoria Stapleton began her fashion career in the tweed mill Hunters of Brora, transforming her love for heritage craft into a fully fledged business. Winkleman wore the new season wool bomber.

Le Kilt

If you find the countryside aesthetic a bit twee, try Le Kilt, where the classic element of Scottish dress feels completely contemporary. Founder Sam McCoach’s grandmother Lena was a kilt-maker herself, and each piece is still made by craftspeople up in Scotland.

Burberry

Now, Burberry needs little introduction, having been a British staple brand since 1856, but the brand has come a long a long way since the days of the 1912 Tielocken coat, the ancestor of the present day Burberry trench coat. The recent use of muted shades of toffee and tobacco has brought a softer take on the house’s heritage check.

Sézane

Sézane continues to grow its loyal following, despite a recent shift in brand strategy. Few brands can rival its outerwear–cosy knits, leather trousers and skirts that nail the upscale-yet-cosy brief.

Herd

Few people know more about wool than Herd founder Ruth Alice Rands, who sources 100% Bluefaced Leicester fleeces directly from farmers. Claudia Winkleman often wears the gloves and wrist warmers..

Dries Van Noten

Granted, Dries Van Noten is far from your typical British countryside label, but the brand has gone so deep into heritage print, knit and pattern territory, that it deserves a special mention. Especially considering the styling here is bursting with welly-free inspiration.

&Daughter

Luxury knitwear label &Daughter was founded by former PR Buffy Reid and her father, Columba, in 2013. Combining traditional Scottish and Irish knitting techniques with the skills of five makers and fine yarns, &Daughter excels in exceptional knitwear that’s made to last.