Issue 1.
The Bunker The Mallory
September
Alex Telfer Š
The Mallory Jacket The Mallory Jacket is a classic and exclusive Nigel Cabourn design, first introduced in the 2003 ‘The Ascent of Cabourn’ collection. This Limited Edition collection featured twelve garments inspired by and in commemoration of Sir Edmund Hilary's conquest of Everest in 1953, each piece individually numbered and limited to around 100 pieces.
The collection was accompanied by an A5, hardback book and it is here that the first image of the Mallory can be seen. Based on jackets worn by the 1953 Everest expedition team, and in particular one B/W image of a Sherpa glancing back at the camera, the jacket was originally called ‘The Sherpa Jacket’. Shortly afterwards it became known as ‘The Tenzing Jacket’, after the famous Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who accompanied Sir Edmund Hilary to the summit of Everest. The very first design visual featured four military style patch pocket set up and button-through pocket flaps. It also had Kevlar patches on the shoulder and sleeve but without the sleeve cap. This design was quite different than the Mallory Jacket we know today and was actually never made, but adapted to become the classic four-button
fasten style with oversized mitred lower front flap pockets and bluffed on upper front pocket. The idea of Kevlar patches was also dropped in favour of the more traditional and authentic Ventile fabric that had its own performance values in keeping with the jacket’s origins. The collar closed using an upper lapel button and traditional hook and eye clip up neck.
In 2003, the complete ‘Ascent of Cabourn’ collection (or Limited Edition I as it also became known) was shown to great acclaim in Japan and then in the UK. The exhibition style sales event featured a custom made Ventile tent as a centerpiece, modeled on the ones that Hilary used in 1953. The Tenzing soon became ‘the’ cold weather jacket to own, its Harris Tweed/Ventile fabrication being both practical and aesthetically attractive.
The jacket was renamed The Mallory Jacket Whichever the fabrication, The Mallory in honour of George Mallory whose body was Jacket is a key investment piece for a man’s finally recovered from the slopes of Everest wardrobe. in 1999 by the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition, 75 years after his fatal attempt The Mallory Vest to reach the roof of the world in 1924.
Changes to the design and fit of the Mallory jacket have been made since the first ‘Sherpa’ jacket in 2003. The addition of Ventile patches on the sleeve head relates more closely to the original images in the ‘Ascent of Cabourn’ book. The button positions have also changed and in return provide better proportion and fit. After 2008, the hook and eye neck closure was superseded by a button-off throat-tab, which can be stored away under the collar and on the jacket front facing. A secret pocket was also introduced to the inside of the back vent.
Each season, the Mallory Jacket continues to evolve through its fabrication, in winter through exclusively designed Harris Tweed and in summer, through a variety of hand selected lighter weight woven cloths.
The Mallory Vest is inspired by photographs of waistcoats worn by George Mallory and other climbers of the 1924 Everest Expedition Team. The images show vests made from wool worn under matching jackets. The Mallory vest was introduced in the winter 2009 season to compliment the Mallory jacket, initially being produced to wear underneath the jacket but also to be worn on its own as often seen on the vintage Mallory climbing photos. The vest is usually produced in matching Harris Tweed and has also been replicated to feature in crazy tweed mixes.
Where the original image source cannot be identified, images reproduced on this site are considered “in the public domain�.