Designer snapshots - Burberry

History of Burberry:

The brand Burberry was founded in London in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, a 21-year old draper’s apprentice. He soon gained a following, specializing in outwear design. As the brand continued to grow, so did it’s list of accomplishments. Burberry can be credited to the first development of Gabardine (a breathable and weatherproof material used in outerwear) and the development of the first trench coats used to outfit British officers in the Boer War. In 1911, Burberry equipped Norwegian explorer Captain Roald Amundsen as he became the first man to reach the South Pole. And once again, in 1914 Burberry was commissioned once more to adapt the trench coat to new combat developments, by adding “D” rings.

Today Burberry is still most recognized for their luxury trench coats, but the brand has recently undergone a facelift thanks to Christopher Bailey. Christopher joined Burberry in 2001 as creative director, and became chief creative director in 2009. The brand today still strongly holds onto it’s classic luxury aesthetics, but it is now slightly more current with to-the-minute trends.