The Vault
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| Thomas Burberry |
Fashion guru or not, almost anyone can recognize the iconic Burberry plaid.
Most would be surprised to know that Burberry didn't start out as a super powerhouse of fashion. In 1880, Thomas Burberry invented the versatile textile, gabardine. Gabardine is a flexible, waterproof fabric specifically engineered for British weather and sport. Burberry's gabardine fabric garments became outdoor-adventure icons, outfitting the first man to ever reach the South Pole, Ernest Shackleton.
In 1914, British World War I military officers voiced their need for practical garments that they could navigate through the trenches in, leading to the birth of the Burberry Trenchcoat. The trench became the bridge between Burberry as a utility garment company to a fashionable, trend setting label. Movie stars Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn, facilitated this fashion transition by making the trench a trendy must-have item.
In the 1990's the famous beige plaid print made its appearance. It can be found wrapped on a luxurious cashmere scarf or hugging the inside lining of a Burberry trench and has become one of the brands most significant identifiers.
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| Burberry Plaid |
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The Valuables
Three key elements to help identify an iconic Burberry RUNWAY design.
1. Monochromatic neutral color palette
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| Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010 Runway, Vogue.com |
2. Strong outerwear presence, keeping true to the origin of the Burberry brand
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| Burberry Prorsum Spring 2011 Runway, Vogue.com |
3. Luxurious yet wearable
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| Burberry Prorsum Spring 2010 Runway, Vogue.com |
NOTE: "The standard plaid is still found all over the umbrellas, golf gloves, and luggage in the retail stores, but it's been banned from the runway." -Style.com
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The Lock
What can we expect at Burberry Prorsum for Fall 2011?
Creative Director and Head Designer, Christopher Bailey, designed a plethora of beautifully crafted coats and outer garments, truly making the Burberry Prorsum's Runway the main source for luxury, British heritage outerwear. Silhouettes ranging from boxy over sized pea coats and the ever classic khaki trench, to tight and tailored military inspired jackets or mink dress coats with thick voluminous sleeves. The color palette was an ombre of color combinations from color blocking with bright primaries, to neutral earth tones with a final transition to stark black and white ensembles.
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| Vogue.com |
The Key
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| Christopher Bailey, askmen.com |
Meet Creative Director and Head Designer: Christopher Bailey, Spring 2002 - Present
In 2001, 29 year old, Christopher Bailey became the new creative director at Burberry Prorsum. With experience at elite fashion houses such as Donna Karan, Gucci, and Tom Ford; Bailey was quite the catch for the Burberry Company. Burberry's profits have spiked since Bailey's arrival and the Burberry Prorsum Runway has never been filled with so many fresh takes on classic outwear.
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