Burberry: An Interesting Past and a Checkered Present

In 1856 Thomas Burberry, a 21 year old draper’s apprentice, opened his own store in Basingstoke Hampshire England. This was during the height of the British colonial period. The English had long romanticized the notion of civilizing the world and looking very fashionable while doing it. As a result there was an increasing need for durable but elegant outdoor wear. Burberry tapped into this trend perfectly. Sales at Burberry were great and the brand recognition spread across the world. In 1880 Burberry invented gabardine, a tough, water resistant yet breathable fabric. The popularity of gabardine spread like wildfire and boosted Burberry’s name beyond prominence and into the realm of fame.
Burberry became the official outfitter of many adventurers such as Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton, who led a 1914 expedition across the Antarctica.

During World War I , Burberry was commissioned by the British War Office to modify the officers coat to suit the conditions of “contemporary” trench warfare. This style of coat became known as the “trench coat” and became very popular with civilians and remains so to the present day. Perhaps the most famous aspect of Burberry, their trademark check pattern, was created in the 20s for the inside lining of the trench coats.

Burberry’s popularity continued to a slow and steady build through the 1930s, 40s and 50s, as a clothing line that became associated with the British spirit of adventure. It was not until 1967 that the Burberry Check was used on luggage, scarves, fragrances, and accessories. Some years later the Novacheck pattern was released for a younger demographic, and by the mid 1980s, Burberry expanded its product line to include underwear, hats, eye glass frames, dresses and designer watches. By the late 1990s, under the direction of American CEO Rose Marie Bravo, the Burberry profits enjoyed double digit growth. The Burberry brand had grown into a global fashion powerhouse, worn by celebrities and the fashion elite.

While Burberry continued its seemingly unbeatable winning streak, in the late 1990s, an interesting phenomenon was occurring. British soccer fans , traveling abroad to follow their teams playing in Europe, would periodically loot local stores after games. Soccer fans would single out the distinctive Burberry brand for its British identity and upscale look.

After several years of looting stores and taking the clothes, violent British soccer fans – known as hooligans – found like they were less conspicuous in foreign countries if they were wearing Burberry clothes, as they were not considered the attire of British thugs. Burberry clothes became something of a disguise and an inside joke among the hooligans. Between 2000 -2002, this hooligan- Burberry subculture became further influenced by the “Gangster Rap” American subculture that exalted in beat heavy music with tough lyrics that espoused the importance of gaining material wealth by taking violent, illegal measures.

This Burberry subculture then morphed into what became known as the “Chav” subculture. The Chavs celebrated the Burberry brand even more than the hooligans. The classic Burberry Check became an unofficial Chav motif, epitomized by the Burberry checkered cap that was very popular among the Chav subculture. This social trend was widely regarded as a near deadly blow to the Burberry brand, as its association with the Chav culture became so well known that Burberry even became banned in many pubs across the United Kingdom.

Corporate executives at Burberry had previously dismissed the “Chav factor” as a serious threat to the their brand. But when Burberry discontinued the manufacture of its checkered caps and CEO Rose Marie Bravo resigned in 2005, many suspected the this was due to the company wanting to distance itself from the hooligan – Chav image.

By 2007, the Chav subculture was beginning to wane, and Burberry began to show signs that the company would outlive the dark associations of the past. In 2008, Burberry revenue jumped 22% from the year before. This is particularly impressive when considering the present economic downturn in retail. At the time of this writing in 2009, Burberry’s stock is on the rise, consistently beating growth estimates. Burberry’s past reputation as an adventure brand, as well as its present reputation as a luxury brand, has shown an impressive resilience.