The STABLE Báinín Tweed jacket

Our latest project we have been working on is the design and making of a new jacket which we are calling the Báinín.  Drawn from traditional Irish clothing references from the west of Ireland and images of fishermen and land labourers of the last centuries, this jacket was a simple shape with deep pockets and no collar, sometimes with buttons sometimes without. It was practical and could be worn over jumpers or shirts depending on the season. 

Manchán Magan Travel Writer, Irish language and Folklore, is a lover and constant wearer of the Báinín jacket and it was with his support and encouragement and personal experience with this his favourite piece of clothing, we set about designing a new version, suitable for the way we live today. He wears a medium in the photos.

The traditional jackets were made with hand spun native undyed wool so were typically cream or soft white in colour.  Over time the name Báinín, became a reference not only to the colour but to the jacket itself. Variations were made and using dyed wool tweeds also became more common over time. It’s a beautiful word, so we are calling our latest addition to our STABLE clothing collection the Báinín Jacket. 

As a piece of clothing it is very practical for the way we wear clothes today. It’s a single layer of wool woven tweed cloth, cardigan style, no collar, with off the shoulder seams. It’s light and layerable, an outer jacket over a t-shirt or worn under a heavier outer coat. It looks great and is really comfortable. 

Our design focused on simplicity, ease and comfort. We selected beautiful tweed woven by Andrew at Kerry Woollen Mills to make up this jacket. We added Irish linen into the mix by lining the pockets and introducing an inside facing for a flash of colour.

Read about Manchán Magan and the story of our Báinín Tweed Jacket