Burberry was founded in 1856 when 21-year-oldThomas Burberry, a former draper's apprentice, opened his own store inBasingstoke, Hampshire, England.[5] By 1870, the business had established itself by focusing on the development of outdoors attire.[5] In 1879, Burberry introducedgabardine to his brand, a hardwearing, water-resistant yet breathable fabric, in which the yarn is waterproofed before weaving.[6] In 1891, Burberry opened a shop inthe Haymarket, London.[5]
In 1901, the Burberry Equestrian Knight logo was developed containing the Latin word "Prorsum", meaning "forwards", and it was registered as a trademark in 1909.[5] In 1911, the company became the outfitters forRoald Amundsen,[5] the first man to reach theSouth Pole, andErnest Shackleton, who led a 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica. A Burberry gabardine jacket was worn byGeorge Mallory on his attempt onMount Everest in 1924.[7]
Adapted to meet the needs of military personnel, the "trench coat"[5] was born during the First World War; it was worn by British officers in the trenches.[8] After the war, it became popular with civilians.[9]
A Burberry factory inBasingstoke producing trench coats, 1918
The Burberry check has been in use since at least the 1920s, primarily as a lining in its trench coats.[5] The celebrity motorcycling sistersBetty and Nancy Debenham wore their trench coats for travelling and racing in the 1920s and recommended the garment in their 1928 bookMotor-Cycling for Women.[10][11] Burberry also specially designed aviation garments. They outfittedMrs Victor Bruce for her 1930 round the world flight and her one woman flight to Japan. She wore a reversible coat with waterproof gabardine outside for flying and with a tweed inner side which could be turned outside to create a smart look for disembarking under the glare of the publicity her exploits attracted.[10] In 1937,A. E. Clouston andBetty Kirby-Green broke the world record for the fastest return flight from London to Cape Town inThe Burberry airplane that was sponsored by the brand.[12][10] Burberry was an independent family-controlled company until 1955, whenGreat Universal Stores (GUS) assumed ownership.[13]
During the 1970s and 1980s, Burberry signed agreements with worldwide manufacturers to produce goods complementary to the existing British collection, such as suits, trousers, shirts, sportswear and accessories, for men, women, and children. These products, designed under the strict control of headquarters in London, were produced and distributed through independent retail stores worldwide as well as through the Burberry stores, and contributed to the growth of the brand in sales and profits through to the late 90s, although the full extent of sales was not apparent in the parent company accounts since much was done through licensed agreements. The company had signedLord Lichfield as photographer,Lord (Leonard) Wolfson was Chairman and Stanley PeacockOBE Managing Director.[14] In 1997,GUS directorVictor Barnett became chairman of Burberry, hiringRose Marie Bravo to execute a corporate reorganization and restoration of the brand as a luxury fashion house.[15][16] Barnett led the company up to its successfulIPO in 2001.[17]
In May 2001,Christopher Bailey joined Burberry ascreative director.[18][19] Bailey was thechief creative officer from 2014, as well as chief executive (CEO) from 2014 until November 2017.[20][21] Bailey stepped down as chief creative officer in March 2018 and had departed the brand completely by the end of 2018.[22]
The "Equestrian Knight" logo (1999–2018)
Between 2001 and 2005, Burberry became associated with "chav" andfootball hooligan culture. This change in the brand reputation was attributed to lower priced products, the proliferation of counterfeit goods adopting Burberry's trademarkcheck pattern, and adoption by celebrities prominently identified with "chav" culture. The association with football hooliganism led to the wearing of Burberry check garments being banned at some venues.[23]
Burberry Group plc was initially floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 2002. GUS divested its remaining interest in Burberry in December 2005.[24][25] In 2005, Sanyo-shokai was the Burberryready-to-wear licence holder in Japan, with retail value of €435 million.[26]
In 2006,Rose Marie Bravo, who as chief executive had led Burberry to mass market success through licensing, retired.[27] She was replaced by another American,Angela Ahrendts,[28] who joined fromLiz Claiborne in January 2006, and took up the position of CEO on 1 July 2006. Ahrendts and Bailey successfully turned around the then chav-like reputation that the brand had acquired at the end of Bravo's tenure and the cheapening effect of the brand's omnipresence, by removing the brand's check-pattern from all but 10% of the company's products, taking the fragrance and beauty product licenses back in-house and buying out the Spanish franchise that was worth 20% of group revenues.[29][18][30][31]
Burberry Chicago flagship store on theMagnificent Mile, built in 2012
Burberry first sold online in the US, then in the UK in October 2006, and in the rest of the EU in 2007.[32]
It was reported in 2012 that Ahrendts was the highest paid CEO in the UK, making £16.9m.[33]
In October 2013, it was announced that Ahrendts would take up the position of Senior Vice President of retail and online at Apple, Inc. from April 2014, and would be replaced as CEO by Bailey.[34][35] During her tenure, sales increased to over £2 billion, and themarket capitalization more than tripled to £7 billion.[36] Burberry promotes its British origins; as of July 2012, Burberry maintained two production facilities in Great Britain, one inCastleford producing raincoats, and one inKeighley.[37] In spring 2014, Bailey became CEO of Burberry and retained the role of chief creative officer.[35] His basic salary was £1.1m, with total compensation of up to £10m a year depending on sales targets being met.[38]
In July 2016, it was announced thatCeline boss Marco Gobbetti would become CEO of Burberry plc, while Bailey became the Creative Director with the title of President.[39][40] In 2016, the label launched its "Mr Burberry" fragrance.[41]
In early May 2017, the store announced it was moving 300 employees from London to Leeds. In July 2017, Gobbetti replaced Bailey as CEO.[41] In March 2018, Burberry namedRiccardo Tisci, creative director atGivenchy from 2005 to 2017, as the brand's chief creative officer.[42] He said: "I am honoured and delighted to be joining Burberry as its new chief creative officer and reuniting with Marco Gobbetti. I have an enormous respect for Burberry's British heritage and global appeal and I am excited about the potential of this exceptional brand."[43]
A few months later, Tisci presented a new logo and monogram for the brand, designed by the English graphic designerPeter Saville.[44][45]
The interlocking TB monogram, which pays homage to founder Thomas Burberry, debuted in 2018.[46]
In April 2018, it was announced thatSir John Peace would be stepping down as chairman of the board and would be replaced by as chairman byGerry Murphy.[47][48] Murphy said: "Burberry is a unique British brand that I have admired for a long time and I am looking forward to working with Marco Gobbetti and the Board to guide the company through its next phase of growth."[49]
Murphy had been CEO ofKingfisher plc, as well as being current chairman ofTate and Lyle and Blackstone Group International Partners LLP.[50] Peace's departure marked a change in leadership for the group, with Gobetti and Ahrends having left in the previous years.[51][52]
In May 2018, it was reported that Burberry had filed a lawsuit againstTarget Corporation, claiming that Target had copied its check print designs and was seeking an amount of $2 million, in addition to its legal costs.[53][54]
In July 2018, it was reported that in the previous five years Burberry had destroyed unsold clothes, accessories, and perfume worth over £90m in order to protect its brand and prevent the items being stolen or sold cheaply. While a representative ofGreenpeace criticised the decision, Burberry claimed that the energy generated from burning its products wascaptured, making it environmentally friendly.[55][56][57] According to Burberry's annual report, by the end of the financial year 2018, the company had destroyed goods worth £28.6m, an increase on the £26.9m from its financial year 2017.[58] In September 2018, Burberry reported that it would stop the practice of burning unsold goods, with immediate effect. Burberry also announced it would stop using real fur in its products, and would phase out existing fur items.[59]
In February 2019, Burberry apologized for showcasing a hoodie with anoose around the neck in its show at theLondon Fashion Week. Burberry said it had removed the item from its collection, after criticism from one of its own models led to an online backlash.[60]
The classic check pattern on a Burberry jacket and skirt, modeled by Mina Habchi
In February 2020 Burberry was forced to close 24 of its 64 Chinese mainland stores because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[61] By July 2020, the company announced it would cut 500 jobs worldwide, including 150 in its UK head offices, in an effort to save £55 million following a reduction in sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[62] In 2021, Burberry announced that it would become a "climate positive" company by 2040.[63][64][65][66] The fashion brand also announced that it would commit to a new target to reduce supply chain emissions (i.e. assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organisation) by 46% by 2030, an increase from an earlier pledge of a 30% reduction.[67][68] In March 2021, Burberry was the first luxury brand to be targeted in China as part of the backlash regarding sanctions against the alleged human rights abuses inXinjiang.[69] Brand ambassador and ActressZhou Dongyu terminated her contract with Burberry.[70]
In April 2022, after the departure ofMarco Gobbetti, the Versace boss Jonathan Akeroyd took over Burberry as the next chief executive in a deal including a £6mgolden hello to cover the loss of bonus and share awards for leaving his previous position.[71][72]
Later in 2022, the company's chief operating and financial officer announced a ban on the use of exotic skins—such as alligator and snake—in its collections.[79][80][81] In September 2022, Burberry announced designerDaniel Lee, former creative director ofBottega Veneta,[82] as Riccardo Tisci's replacement as the company's chief creative officer.[83][84][85][86]
In April 2023, rapperKano fronted a Burberry marketing campaign introduced by Lee in February 2023.[95][96][97][98][99] Thenew direction was phrased as"a modern take on British luxury".[100][101]
In October 2023, Burberry collaborated with Vestiaire Collective on a new circular style project. This partnership would allow customers to exchange their second-hand Burberry clothing and handbags for a Burberry gift card, which they could reinvest in the brand, with the aim of promoting resale and reducing clothing waste.[102]
In July 2024, the company announced a profit warning and the departure of its chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd, to be replaced by Joshua Schulman.[104] The company also reported significant sales declines across its markets in the first quarter, with store sales dropping 23% in the Americas and Asia Pacific, and 16% in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa. The company's shares fell 15% following the announcement, and it suspended dividend payments. Burberry also revealed plans for job cuts, primarily in its UK corporate office.[105]
In November 2024, Burberry launched a £40 million cost-cutting program, aiming to stabilize the brand and refocus on its core outerwear and iconic trench coats. As part of the turnaround, Burberry planned to cut £40 million annually, with £25 million expected in the 2025 financial year. Though the company refrained from specifying job cuts, it confirmed it was streamlining office teams. Schulman also introduced a new outerwear campaign and appointed new managers in key divisions. Burberry's shares rose 16% following the announcement, as investors responded positively to the plan.[106]
On 30 November 2022, in an episode ofAll Elite Wrestling's (AEW)Dynamite, the reigning championMaxwell Jacob Friedman ('MJF'), who had won the title atFull Gear on 19 November, discarded the standardAEW World Championship belt, calling it trash, and unveiled his own custom version, which he dubbed the "Big Burberry Belt", or Triple-B for short. It featured the exact same design as the standard belt; however, the leather strap was brown and fashioned in Burberry's trademarkcheck pattern to match MJF's signature Burberry scarf.[107][108]
On 29 March 2023, a Burberry tote was used in an episode fromSuccession.[109] Google searches for Burberry and the "Burberry tote bag" rose by more than 310% after the episode aired.[110][111][112][113]
^Kuehlwein, JP; Schaefer, Wolfgang (2015).Rethinking Prestige Branding – Secrets of the Ueber-Brands. London: Kogan Page. pp. 211–212.ISBN978-0-7494-7003-6.
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