Lord Anthony

Lord Anthony was a brand of clothing particularly popular in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. It became so popular that people would often refer to "a Lord Anthony" rather than a Snorkel Parka. It became a school playground legend and even the subject of a song by Belle & Sebastian.

Outerwear

Lord Anthony were manufacturers of outerwear in general. It was not a premium or fashion brand, but was at the top end of the utility section generally producing reasonably well-made and durable garments. Whilst they did use some other materials, their garments tended to be made from nylon fabric and use cheap but warm polyester padding.

norkel Parka

They became well known during the 1980s for their branded Snorkel Parka, which was the winter coat of choice for most schoolboys. Whereas other manufacturers (such as C&A, Brutus, Wakefields, and Keynote) were producing good quality snorkel parkas, the Lord Anthony version was generally regarded as the best.

Now that snorkel parkas have come back into fashion, the original "old school" version have become highly sought after and command high prices in retro shops and on Ebay. Lord Anthony parkas always get the highest price and even well worn, dirty, and torn versions still get a good price.

Changing branding

It is possible to tell the age of a Lord Anthony jacket from the branding labels attached to it.

Earlier versions did not actually mention the Lord Anthony name and instead just contained the "stick man wearing a crown" logo on the inside label.

Mid period jackets then gained the Lord Anthony name on the inside label and a Lord Anthony tag sewn onto the top of the sleeve pen pocket.

Late period jackets acquired a much more elaborate label with an embroidered design and the "Polar Gear" identity. These jackets lost the "stick man with a crown" Lord Anthony logo on the label; however, they usually retained the Lord Anthony tag on the sleeve pocket.

The older the jacket labelling, the higher the price it commands on the second hand market.