Bringing the Highlands to London: Barbour’s Heritage Tartan Launch at HQ
For Barbour’s latest Heritage Tartan launch 2025, the brief was simple in idea but ambitious in execution: to bring the spirit of the Scottish Highlands into the heart of London.
Working alongside Retail and Commercial Interior Design Consultancy Lucky Fox, the space at Barbour’s London HQ was transformed into a layered, immersive environment and one that balanced brand identity, seasonal warmth, and a strong sense of place. At the centre of it all sat a sweeping, hand-painted mural, grounding the experience in landscape and storytelling.
Translating Landscape into Space
Barbour’s identity is deeply rooted in the British countryside, in texture, weather, and tradition. For this project, the challenge was to translate that into a specific setting without losing its authenticity.
The mural, created in collaboration with Artist Curtis Hylton, drew directly from the Scottish Highlands. Rolling forms, softened edges, and a natural colour palette echoed open landscapes rather than fixed viewpoints, allowing the artwork to feel expansive within the constraints of the area.
Rather than acting as a backdrop, the mural became part of the spatial language, a feature wall mural that set the tone for everything around it. It introduced movement and depth, guiding how the space was experienced and how people moved through it.
This is often where hand-painted murals have the most impact.
Not as standalone pieces, but as integral parts of an environment.
A Layered Environment
While the mural anchored the area, the wider environment brought the narrative into focus.
A tartan-wrapped feature wall, illuminated with LED light bars and brand signage, created a strong visual counterpoint, structured, graphic, and unmistakably Barbour. Around this, heathland-inspired florals and carefully placed natural elements softened the space, adding texture and a sense of seasonality.
Festoon and fairy lights introduced warmth and rhythm, subtly shifting the atmosphere as the day moved into evening. The result was an environment that felt considered but not overworked and one where each element played its part without competing for attention.
Projects like this highlight how custom mural design can sit within a broader creative direction, working alongside materials, lighting and styling to create a cohesive experience.
Collaboration in Practice
At the core of the project was collaboration. Between creative direction, production, and execution.
Working with Lucky Fox meant the mural was never treated in isolation. Instead, it was part of a wider design conversation from the outset, responding to the layout, the flow of the event, and the brand’s visual identity.
From a delivery perspective, this kind of integration requires flexibility. Timelines are often tight, and multiple elements are being installed simultaneously. The process becomes as important as the outcome, ensuring that each layer comes together seamlessly, without disrupting the overall vision.
It’s a reminder that behind every finished mural is a considered process: planning, preparation, and a careful balance between precision and adaptability.
A Space That Holds a Moment
Like many event-based projects, this installation was temporary. But its impact wasn’t.
For those who experienced it, the space offered a brief shift in perspective, from city to landscape, from interior to something more open and textured. These moments, however short-lived, are often what stay with people.
Looking Back
The Barbour Heritage Tartan launch was a project built on balance, between tradition and interpretation, structure and softness, brand and environment.
We’re always interested in projects that allow for this kind of collaboration, where the mural becomes part of a bigger story, and where the outcome is something that feels cohesive, considered, and quietly impactful.
If this has inspired you to get creative, reach out to us. We would love to hear from you.
