Northern Soul

Aubin & Wills spoke to James Eden, the managing director of British manufacturer Cooper and Stollbrand to discuss the past, present and future of textile production in Manchester and why British is best.

Words by Georgina Bacchus

Less than a 10-minute walk from Aubin & Wills on King Street stands Cooper and Stollbrand, the last remaining makers of the finest handcrafted outerwear in Manchester, a city once dubbed Cottonopolis for its 108 mills. "Industry was what made Manchester great" explains Cooper and Stollbrand's managing director James Eden, "there are very few places left in the world that still do what we do and it means everything to us to continue producing here".

Cooper and Stollbrand were established in 1918 by James' Great Grandfather at a time when 65% of the world's cotton was being processed in the area. "Up until the 60s and 70s we were at the heart of the world's raincoat industry", however with active cotton mills an altogether rare sight in Britain today, James attributes the continued success of his Great Grandfather's legacy to the determination and graft applied by their small yet dedicated workforce, "in order to succeed in manufacturing in this economical climate you need to be extremely passionate, and small family run businesses are filled with passion."

Today Cooper and Stollbrand specialises in limited-edition runs of high-quality designer coats, Macs and jackets made using traditional British techniques, "we don't use any automated machinery, everything here is hand cut, hand sewn and hand finished and sourced within 30km of the factory." Drawn by a shared regard for exemplary British manufacture and skilled craftsmanship, Aubin & Wills has joined forces with Cooper and Stollbrand to create unique and covetable outerwear, expertly made in Manchester.

The Nolton Coat

The Nolton is a waxed jacket made entirely in England using Millerain waxed cotton and hand-sewn by Cooper and Stollbrand. Both Millerain and Cooper and Stollbrand are family run businesses based in the North of England, the former belonging through the generations, since 1880 to the Miller family. Both experts in their field, we have incorporated their fine skill and attention to detail to create the Nolton, a durable coat with detachable hood and fully lined in wool; ideal for windy autumnal conditions.

The Ravensden Jacket

The Ravensden is a camouflage parka jacket handmade in England by Cooper and Stollbrand. The exterior of the jacket is made from 100% cotton, printed in a camouflage pigmant, and the interior features a detachable Sherpa lining making the Ravensden idea for transitional autumn weather. The oversized, relaxed silhouette and large utility style pockets make that the Ravensden the ultimate casual jacket for the season.