Burberry

Founded

1856

Founder

Thomas Burberry

Headquarters

London, UK

Current Designer

Daniel Lee

Burberry is a renowned British luxury fashion house founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry. Known for its iconic trench coats, tartan scarves, and accessories, the brand also offers handbags, perfumes, eyewear, and cosmetics. Throughout the 20th century, Burberry became synonymous with British culture and was granted Royal Warrants by Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales.

· Brand History ·

Founder Thomas Burberry (1835-1926) was born in Surrey, England. After apprenticing at a draper’s shop, he established his own business in Basingstoke, Hampshire at age 21, focusing on outdoor clothing. In 1879, Burberry invented Gabardine fabric, marking a pivotal moment in the brand’s early development.

Gabardine revolutionized weatherproof clothing. This innovative fabric used waterproofed yarn to create a durable, breathable material. In 1888, Burberry patented Gabardine and applied it to coats, tents, and other products.

In 1901, Burberry introduced its Equestrian Knight logo, featuring a shield with the initial “B” and a banner with the Latin word “PRORSUM” meaning “Forward.” This was officially trademarked in 1909.

During the early 20th century, Burberry became the preferred outfitter for famous explorers including Roald Amundsen, the first to reach the South Pole (1911), and Ernest Shackleton during his Antarctic expeditions (1914).

The Burberry trench coat remains its most iconic product. Originally designed in 1895 as the “Tielocken” military coat, it was patented in 1912. During World War I, Burberry enhanced the design with functional details like sleeve straps, epaulets, D-ring belts, and gun flaps, creating the modern trench coat.

Burberry’s “Tielocken” coat advertisement

In the 1920s, Burberry introduced the “Nova” check pattern as a lining for its trench coats. This distinctive beige background with red, black, and white intersecting stripes became a signature element, later applied to other products like scarves and handbags.

During WWII, Burberry again supplied the British military while expanding its civilian offerings to include everyday wear and specialized sportswear for golf, fishing, equestrian, cycling, tennis, archery, and skiing.

By mid-century, Burberry trench coats became Hollywood staples, worn by stars like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942), Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), and Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther series.

Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

During the 1970s-80s, Burberry expanded to the US market, opening stores in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C. Licensing agreements helped diversify its product range to include suits, shirts, children’s wear, and accessories.

Counterfeiting issues led to a brand crisis in the early 2000s. CEO Angela Ahrendts revitalized Burberry by reducing overt use of the check pattern and tightening brand controls.

Burberry pioneered digital luxury retail, launching e-commerce sites (2004-2007) and the innovative “Art of the Trench” social platform (2009). Its comprehensive Burberry.com launched in 2011.

In 2018, Riccardo Tisci became Chief Creative Officer, introducing a new logo and monogram designed by Peter Saville, featuring interlocking “T” and “B” initials.