The unique Blackshore Seaspray Ventile® Hooded Jacket is in production now! And we're going to make it out of one of the world's best performing cotton weatherproof fabrics.
Pre-order to be assured of yours, from first run (numbered) of just 40 pieces, shipping March 2020. Sizing will be confirmed prior to delivery.
We're offering an early bird price for pre-orders £459 (full price will be a minimum of £549).
So what's the Seaspray all about?
Every fisherman for the last 200 years has relied on their sou'wester jacket when the weather gets up.
The Blackshore Seaspray Ventile® Hooded Jacket is our take on this nautical classic, but instead of using plasticised materials or even traditional waxed cotton, we are using one of the world's most high performance cotton fabrics: and we've adapted this classic garment style for comfortable and practical wear on the shore, on the hillside, or anywhere else!
We're building the Blackshore Seaspray using Ventile®, a unique and superb quality cotton fabric originally created in the 1930s as better solution for fire hoses, but quickly adapted to make waterproof clothing to save the lives of Royal Air Force personnel flying over the Atlantic in wartime England.
Pilots needed a garment that was cool and comfortable in the cockpit, but warm and impenetrable if it came into contact with water. With nothing that offered this functionality on the market, a team of dedicated scientists pioneered a radical solution at the Shirley Institute in Manchester and, after several months of testing, Ventile® was born.
Ventile® proved its worth by extending life expectancy in the sea by tenfold, which made rescue a real possibility. 80% of pilots who fell into the sea would now survive! This unique fabric went into mass production in 1943 and was worn by RAF pilots around the world.
The unique weatherproof qualities of Ventile® ensured that it was also widely championed by outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers alike. Ventile® was used in the first summit of Everest in 1953 and by Sir Ranulph Fiennes when he crossed the Arctic from 1979 – 1982.
Ventile® fabrics are now woven and finished in Switzerland, to the highest-ever performance standards, and it continues to be used widely in emergency service and military clothing, as well as by some of the best known luxury fashion brands.
For our Seaspray jacket, handbill in England, Ventile® trumped all other options.
The Blackshore Seaspray Ventile® Hooded Jacket is hand-built in England in very small runs, exclusively by Blackshore Coastal Clothing.
Featuring a chunky full length zip, with press stud placket for extra weather protection.
The design includes raglan sleeves for ease of movement, generous weather-proof patch pockets with secret inner pockets, plus a zip breast pocket and yet another pocket inside.
The adjustable hood includes a structured peak and we've incorporated a high collar (moleskin lined) for warmth and comfort.
Lined in cotton and viscose for comfort, with internal waist adjuster.
Wear it over a Tee or light sweater for those warm but showery spring days, or layer it up with knitwear for fantastic wind and weather protection.
- Outer made from Ventile® 100% cotton
- Linings cotton and viscose
- Storm hood in collar
- Handmade in England
- Backed by Blackshore's lifetime visible repair guarantee
- Numbered, limited, first edition of 40 pieces
- Dry cleaning recommended, but can be gently washed