Whether you’re a fan of checks or not, there’s no denying the history of Burberry, one of the most recognized luxury brands in the world. Burberry is known as an iconic British brand because it is a brand that is willing to reinvent itself multiple times.
everyone’s favorite carryover, and since it enlisted the help of a younger demographic of celebrities to advertise, it’s caught on with the next generation of luxury shoppers. Burberry has once again regained its appeal.
And now read 16 interesting facts about everyone’s favorite brand, Burberry.
1: Burberry was founded by a 21-year-old
Thomas Burberry was only 21 years old when he founded his eponymous luxury brand in Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK, in 1856. He was born on August 27, 1835, and initially worked as a draper’s apprentice, where he learned the tricks of the fashion trade.
His first shop was simple and did not have many customers to serve, as Basingstoke had only about 4,500 inhabitants at the time. Nevertheless, Burberry managed to turn his outfit business into a fairly successful one. By the time of the 1861 census, Barberry employed seven men, seven women, and three boys in his shop. This was just the beginning for the young barbarian, and bigger things were in store for the young entrepreneur.
2: The beginning of Burberry’s business with gabardine fabric
When Thomas Burberry started his business, he wanted a brand that specialized in outdoor clothing. Desperate to invent a waterproof option other than rubber to wear at the time, he invented gabardine in 1879. Gabardine, a weatherproof fabric, has since revolutionized rainwear and outerwear. In 1955, Burberry received a royal warrant to produce weatherproof fabric.
3: Opening of the first store
Successful in making outerwear from gabardine, the company opened its first store in London’s High Market in 1891.
4: The birth of the Tielocken coat
In 1912, Burberry patented a coat called the Tielocken, an open coat with a belt, which later became known as the trench coat. This brand has designed three models of trench coats: Chelsea, a narrow cut. Kensington, a classic tailored coat. Westminster is a lightweight jacket made for easy layering. These jackets are available for both men and women in five colors, including classic honey, black, military khaki, and gray. Each coat is finished with a classic Burberry check.
It takes almost three weeks to make one of the cargo jackets, which have more than 100 steps.
5: The presence of the Burberry brand in the First World War
In the early 20th century, when World War I broke out, the British Army used the expertise of Thomas Burberry to modernize the telogen and make it a practical battlefield uniform.
He designed the jacket to include belt loops for holding grenades, maps, and flasks. shoulder straps to secure binoculars and gas masks, and large wings to further protect the chest while the military men were in the trenches.
6: The brand of choice among polar explorers
Berberi has a long and credible list of loyal followers. Explorers were among the first to wear it, including British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, who wore it during his 1915 Endurance Expedition. Burberry has been used by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as well as by Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales.
7: Burberry’s popularity among athletes
The brand’s popularity continued, especially among die-hard athletes and those who loved adventure. In 1937, Betty Kirby-Green donned a blue Berber flying suit as she and Air Chief Arthur Clouston flew from London to Cape Town for 45 hours to break the world record.
8: The emergence of the Nova Check symbol
. In 1924, Burberry created the Nova Check, the brand’s most recognizable print. The checkered trademark comes in beige with black, white, and red checks.
Old Hollywood stars, including Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn, were among those seen wearing the brand at the time. In 1967, Burberry officially introduced the Nova Chek trademark and introduced a complete collection of accessories with this print.
9: The iconic Barbarian Knight logo is full of symbolism.
The Berber logo has a complete history. According to Burberry’s website, the logo first appeared around 1901, as far back as the history of the brand. The logo, of a knight on horseback, features the word “prosum,” which is Latin for “forward.”
According to 1000 Logos, the equestrian knight carries a shield that “symbolizes the purity, honor, pride, grace, decency, determination, and protection of the knight.”
The Barbarian logo has evolved over the years. In 2018, the brand unveiled a new house logo that simply consisted of the words “Burberry London, England” in an all-caps font. According to Fortune, the new logo was part of a rebrand and was designed by graphic designer Peter Saville, whose work includes album covers for bands such as Joy Division. Burberry also released a new print that year with the interlocking letters “T” and “B” in honor of the brand’s founder, Thomas Burberry (via GQ).
10: Berri’s makeup line was created for a specific reason.
While Burberry is best known for its fashion, there’s more to the brand than gabardine trench coats and checked scarves. In the late 2000s, Berberi began to develop cosmetic products. In 2009, the company announced that it was launching a makeup line. “It gives the brand another dimension,” Philippe Benasin of Burberry Inter Parfums SA told Women’s Wear Daily.
Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s creative director, told Women’s Wear Daily that the line came about because he was tired of seeing inappropriately colored makeup on models during his fashion shows. In order to solve the recurring problem, she decided to create her own makeup line for this brand.
Burberry launched its cosmetics line in 2010. This line offers various products, including lipstick, foundation, nail polish, and makeup brushes.
11: Burberry has proven to be a leading technology company.
Innovation has always been at the forefront of this brand. Of course, it started with the invention of the gabardine by Thomas Burberry, but it didn’t end there. The brand is constantly trying new things and has adapted very quickly to the modern digital world. Burberry was the first fashion brand to broadcast live fashion shows in 2009, according to the South China Morning Post. In 2016, Digiday reported that Burberry was the first luxury brand to run an ad on the Snapchat Discover channel.
Berber’s willingness to adapt to new technology bodes well for its future success in an increasingly technology-driven world. In 2019, the company announced in its annual report that it wants to do more to expand its digital reach and engage with followers on social media.
12: Barbarianism is strongly associated with British culture.
Burberry is “the biggest and most important brand in the UK.” And it is hard to disagree with this claim. While the Burberry brand is known around the world, this iconic brand is particularly popular in the UK.
Often regarded as a British brand, people all over the world strongly associate the brand and its trademark, Haymarket Check, with Britain.
The luxury company’s long history, not to mention the role it played in some of the most troubling periods in the country’s history, such as World War II, all contributed to its Britishness. According to the Guardian, the Church of England even has a stake in the company.
Part of the close association of barbarism with British identity is a clever marketing tactic. “Burberry is a global luxury brand with a distinctly British attitude,” the company says on its website.
13: Why did some bars ban barbeque in the 2000s?
Despite Burberry’s high price, not everyone thinks of luxury goods when they see this brand. In the early 2000s, Burberry gained notoriety as the company’s Haymarket Check trademark was used on everything from bikinis to homeware.
The company was concerned about brand dilution. While concerns about working-class acceptance of the barbarian signature check pattern could be dismissed as obscenity, there was also the problem of checks being banned in some pubs.
In a since-deleted article in 2005, The Scotsman reported that the check was closely linked to “football hooliganism” and “football violence,” leading to many bars banning anyone wearing the brand to prevent potentially controversial sports.
The company’s fans went into damage control mode, further protecting the brand and regaining control of its signature check design. Gradually, the company recovered and established itself as a luxury brand once again.
14: How long does it take to make a Berber coat
While many people may consider a Burberry trench coat to be over $2,000, trench coat pricing is much more than a simple markup. Burberry trench coats are not mass-produced by machines. Making a Berber trench coat requires a lot of work and a lot of specialized skills.
According to Global Blue, there are more than 100 steps to making a Berber coat, and it takes about three weeks to make just one coat. The craftsmen who make the coats are highly trained; it only takes a year of training to learn how to sew the intricate collar of a trench coat. Much of the work is done by hand, such as the pleats on the back of the coat and the cuff and strap details. The gabardine fabric used to make the coat is not woven by hand, but it also gives it a personal touch. Artisans personally inspect the fabric to ensure it is perfectly manufactured.
15: Berberi is committed to sustainability.
Barbarian was founded in the nineteenth century, but it has advanced rapidly into the twenty-first. The company takes steps to minimize its environmental impact. Berberi is committed to sustainability and is a member of RE100, with the goal of “sourcing 100% of our electricity from renewable sources to power our entire business by 2022.”
Berberi also plans to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030. “For the first time, we are setting emissions targets that apply across our extensive supply chain, which is an important addition to our ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral.” in our operational energy use by 2022,” Pam Baty, the company’s vice president of corporate responsibility, said in 2019 (via Green Biz). “System change requires collaboration, and we will work closely with our supply chain partners to take the necessary steps to stay on track and achieve our goals.”
