by You might consider Burberry to be as British as Paddington, afternoon tea and John Lewis Christmas adverts.
But when the fashion house’s new boss Joshua Schulman announced plans for a turnaround on Thursday, he admitted that the label known for its trench coats had become bogged down by a “niche aesthetic” that failed to celebrate his “quintessentially British” heritage.
Burberry’s latest woeful figures show a loss of £53m for the six months to September but under his new guidance, Schulman will strive to return it to its best in Britain and revive its appeal, particularly in Asia and the United States, the two places where they are complacent. spot for buying into all things British.
In a way, it’s surprising that Burberry has allowed itself to be so far removed from what makes it great and recognizable when its intrinsic Britishness is so authentic – and that’s what you believe Britishness is embodied by EastEnders star and her baby in head to toe matching Burberry checks (hello, Danniella Westbrook) or Queen Elizabeth II arriving at Sandringham in a Burberry silk scarf.
Amazingly, they are both as British as each other.
It is this terrifying clash of very specific cultural references that Burberry is in an almost unique position to draw upon. “It was only a matter of time before Burberry looked back, to move forward. British style combines the past forever with the future,” sees Virginia Chadwyck-Healey, former editor of British Vogue, now a style consultant and founder of The Fairground, which will sell labels dedicated to responsible style, a rather British principle in itself.
“It stays current, in an ever-changing world. True to tradition, true to its history. Britain is tartan, it’s wool, it’s Prince of Wales check, it’s Burberry check, it’s the great outdoors, the sweeping Yorkshire meadows, the beautiful Scottish highlands, the bustling cities. It’s punk, it’s Soho, it’s Savile Row, it’s pint, it’s all English. It’s really eclectic, and for that reason it’s really inclusive,” she concludes.
The opportunity for Burberry is huge. From the Royal Family to Paddington Bear, there’s a steady stream of British exports that have the power to capture imaginations – and pounds – across the globe. “Britain has a cultural and commercial influence,” analyzes Dr Benjamin Wild, reader in fashion stories at Manchester City University.
He points to the recent announcement of next year’s Oasis reunion as an example of this – all credit to Burberry, although he failed to get Liam and Noel to sit next to each other on the first series in September. fashion show, they got the next best thing in the form of Molly, Lennon and Gene (Liam’s children) and Anais (Noel’s daughter) sat together instead. Maybe there will be a Burberry moment at the Wembley gigs next summer after all?
Dr Wild believes that the current political environment could create a more positive environment for labels to emphasize their Britishness. “Paradoxically, this appeal may be increasing as Brexit-related tensions ease and the UK begins to capitalize on its cultural and political distinction from Europe and the US by wearing perfume with a time — pre-digital, pre-public, pre-Trump — when life seemed less scary, more certain, and definitely more fun,” he says.
While Burberry may have lost its British spark, there are plenty of much smaller labels that lean into the look and it pays dividends. One is With Nothing Underneath, a label started by founder Pip Durell to emulate the shirting experience that men had from specialist carriers in the Jermyn Street or Savile Row tradition and reimagine it for women.
After recently securing £2.5 million in funding, Durrell is expanding into new territories, particularly the US, and is introducing new categories, including blazers, trousers and knitwear. “WNU upholds the guiding principle of British Heritage and Modern Simplicity Meets,” she explains. “The simplicity part is easy, but British Heritage is the key. It is the art of nostalgia. Expression of mood within clothing. Easy Oxford shirts, soft wool trousers – they are pieces that make a wardrobe.”
Although her shirts are made to be versatile, the imagery Durrell creates for WNU is an unmistakable memento of aspirational Britishness – one model pulls pints in blue and white stripes, another plays football at stables and another recreates a polo ensemble Princess Diana’s famous. a baseball cap, a British Lung Foundation jumper and a mannish blazer. “In the fast pace of new ‘Instagram’ brands we like a classic feel – a feeling that we’ve been here before or at least worn these clothes,” continues Durrell. “Inheritance. Classic. Prep. The simple act of looking back.”
For stylist Bay Garnett, who recently collaborated with knitwear label Made in Britain Herd, the UK has always been an inspiration. “European style can be more refined and chic but it’s nothing like British style,” she says. “You only have to think of the Duchess of Devonshire and the great English nobles and gentlemen of the last century; only the English can make a tweed skirt and a little cardigan with tights look so authentic and stylish – I think it’s also the lack of vanity, that clothes have to work in a practical way, so that they look great worn and relaxed. “
She cites rebellious Brits like Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow as “a kind of confidence and anarchy that is unique to being British”.
Garnett styles her Flock collaboration in lush green fields with classic cars in the background, emphasizing the British connection to her designs. But it goes beyond aesthetics.
“The provenance of the materials and the fact that they are all made in Britain is very important to me,” she notes. “If we’re producing new clothes into the world and I’m part of that, I want to be part of something that doesn’t harm the planet. I want to be part of a process that gives value, care and respect to the planet we live on. And I love supporting British farms and crafts.”
It is a sentiment that is echoed by the founder of Treada, Ruth Rands; “It is surprising to discover the many industrial crafts in Britain, from the various wool processes carried out within a practical and efficient radius of the sheep farms, everything from lace spinning to button cutting, all done according to the best in class quality. . This kind of regional supply chain connection is rare in the world.”
Back at Burberry, where many products are now made overseas, the past few months have already seen a defiant return to all things quintessentially British. In October, Olivia Colman posed next to a Land Rover in a khaki quilted jacket for a campaign called It’s Always Burberry Weather – you had to look twice to make sure it wasn’t really an old shot of Queen Elizabeth out on the grounds of Balmoral . Crucially, Burberry is one of a handful of British labels beloved by the late Queen, who wore and were awarded a Royal Warrant (the company now has a warrant to fit King Charles too) and so This is an ad that felt a pleasant warrant.
Then, earlier this week, David Tennant and Alex Hassell (who played Lord Baddingham and Rupert Campbell-Black respectively in the recent Disney+ revival of Jilly Cooper’s Competitors) were unveiled as the stars of Burberry’s Christmas campaign, rocking London in black trench coats and festive checks.
“Britness is not just a matter of heritage aesthetic choices, for Burberry, it is the cornerstone of the brand’s authenticity and explains its appeal around the world,” says
Dr Elizabeth Kealy-Morris, Senior Lecturer in Dress and Belonging at Manchester City University.
Another challenge for Burberry is getting the trench coat back. That is what has contributed to the brand’s success. Gabardine, the material from which trenches are traditionally made, was introduced by Thomas Burberry at his open-air outfitter in Basingstoke in 1879.
Since then, the trench has crossed many cultural touch points from being worn by officers during the First World War, by George Mallory when he tried to scale Everest in 1924 and by film stars from Humphrey Bogart i. Casablanca to Meryl Streep i Kramer vs. Kramer.
Amazingly, in 1965, Burberry made a coat for every five people exported from Britain. Recently, Burberry trenches have been worn by everyone from Kate Moss to Kate Middleton.
“The Burberry trench coat is more than just a design: it’s a cultural icon, rooted in climate-related functionality, and transformed into a fashion staple,” says Dr Kealy-Morris. “A brand that incorporates nostalgia and tradition into its brand ethos provides customers with a sense of heritage that stands in stark contrast to the timelessness of contemporary fast fashion.”
You can now walk into almost any fashion store and pick up a trench coat at any price point from labels as diverse as Japan’s Uniqlo, France’s Sézane, Spain’s Zara or Sweden’s Toteme. If he stays in the job, it will be a tall order for Schulman and Bradford-born chief creative officer Daniel Lee to remind customers around the world that the Burberry trench is worth the investment.
It will be a fight for Burberry’s life – but equipped with its ready-for-anything trench coat roots, it can certainly win.
