The future founder of the company, Thomas Burberry, was born on August 27, 1835 in Dorking, Surrey, United Kingdom. After graduating from school, he went to the neighboring county of Hampshire, where he got a job as an apprentice at a local tailor. His first projects were inspired by the everyday clothes of ordinary people. Thanks to his natural talent and love for his work, he begins to experiment with materials. His primary goal is to create clothes for outdoor activities that would be ideal for fishing or hunting.Thomas Burberry was married twice. He has two sons and four daughters from his first marriage.On April 4, 1926, Thomas Burberry died at the age of 91.
It all started in the south-central part of England in the city of Basingstoke, when the brilliant Thomas Burberry got the idea to develop a material that would effectively protect against the vagaries of the British weather and was comfortable to wear.Being a former draper's apprentice, a 21-year-old mature and determined young man realizes that the hour has struck.
Burberry was founded in 1856.
Initially, a small store was opened selling casual outerwear, as well as waterproof sportswear, which was a huge success with travelers and researchers.
According to data taken from Thomas Burberry's personal correspondence, in 1971 his company employed more than 70 people.
By 1878, he had founded a larger factory, which, among other things, was engaged in the production and supply of military equipment for the British army. According to some sources, in 1881, the number of working staff of the company was more than 200 people.
In 1879, Thomas Burberry invented gabardine, the world's first "breathable" water-repellent fabric that has no analogues. The novelty very quickly replaced the old heavy and uncomfortable materials previously used in the production of waterproof clothing. Gabardine got its name in honor of a secluded place found in the works of Shakespeare, in which it was possible to hide from the weather.
Closer to the mid-80s, the prefix "s", i.e. "Burberrys", began to be added to the original name "Burberry". This is due to the fact that the brand became popular far beyond the borders of England and many customers from all over the world preferred to pronounce "Burberrys of London". In 1999, the company managed to regain its original name "Burberry". However, the combination "Burberrys of London" is still found on many older Burberry products.
In 1888, Thomas Burberry patented the technology of gabardine production. Clothing made of the new material has become an alternative to heavy rubberized mackintosh raincoats.
In 1891, the first flagship store opened in London at 30 Haymarket.
In 1983, Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian polar explorer, scientist, Doctor of Zoology, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, for the first time uses Burberry gabardine equipment for his expedition to the North Pole.
In 1900, the first store opened outside the UK. Burberry products have become available in neighboring France.
In 1901, the Burberry logo was designed. In search of original solutions, the company announced a competition for the best design. The victory was won by a design inspired by the armor of the 13th-14th centuries. The emblem represented an equestrian knight in armor with a shield and a banner. The symbolic word "Prorsum" was emblazoned on top of the banner, which means "forward" in Russian. In 1909, it was registered as an official trademark.
In 1908, Air Commodore Edward Maitland uses Burberry gabardine gear to fly a balloon from London's Crystal Palace Park to Russia. He managed to set a new world record: he covered a distance of 1,798 km in 36.5 hours.
Since 1910, outerwear for women has been produced under the Burberry brand.
In 1911, the company became a supplier of equipment for Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian traveler, the first person to reach the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton, an Anglo-Irish explorer who led an expedition in 1914 to cross Antarctica.
In 1912, the Tielocken raincoat was patented, which became the predecessor of the famous Burberry trench coat - a model of a rain raincoat with unchanged attributes: double—breasted, with shoulder straps and a turn-down collar, cuffs, yoke, belt and slit at the back. The Tielocken style was a model without a clasp with a belt and buckle and a button on the collar.
In the period from 1914 to 1917 . Ernest Shackleton reuses Burberry gabardine clothing in three of his expeditions.
During the First World War, the first trench coat appears. Its design was developed in accordance with military needs. Gloves and a whistle were attached to shoulder straps, grenades were attached to a belt with half rings. The flying yoke on the shoulders protected on the battlefield, and the yoke on the back served as an "umbrella" from the rain: water drops flowed to the ground, preventing clothes from getting wet.
After the end of the First World War, Burberry clothes began to be tried on not only by British officers, but also by civilians. In addition, Burberry clothing increasingly began to feature characters from such famous films as "Casablanca" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's", as well as some characters from the famous TV series "Agatha Christie's Poirot".
The 1920s are significant for the company. During this period, the Burberry checkered pattern appears, which later became a trademark of the brand. Approximately from this period, the Burberry cage began to be used as a lining for trench coats.
In 1924, a Burberry gabardine jacket was worn by George Mallory during his attempt to conquer Everest.
In 1926 Thomas Burberry died and the firm was headed by his second son Arthur Michael. He successfully managed his father's legacy until the early 1950s. In 1955, Burberry was acquired by Great Universal Stores (GUS) Holding.
Starting in 1934, delivery services in London became available, which were carried out on a Burberry branded car.
At the beginning of the 30s, Burberry actively participates in the life of aviation lines. For example, the brand specially designed equipment for pilots, and in 1937 became a sponsor of Flight Lieutenant A. E. Clawston and Mrs. Betty Kirby-Green, who broke the world record for the fastest return flight from London to Cape Town on an airplane "The Burberry".
In 1955, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II presented Burberry with a royal warrant for the supply of waterproof clothing.
The brand gained incredible popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. Increasingly, world stars are dressing up in Burberry outfits, and every fifth coat exported from the UK is produced by the company of the same name.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Burberry strengthened its position. In particular, agreements were signed with world manufacturers on the release of additional products for the existing British collection. The number of new products has been replenished with suits, trousers, shirts, sportswear, accessories for men, women and children.
The entire product range was developed under the strict control of the headquarters in London. According to the agreement, the products were distributed through independent retail stores around the world, and were also sold in Burberry branded boutiques. In parallel, Burberry becomes the official owner of the factory in Castleford, which to this day remains the "home" of the legendary trench coat.
In 1981, the debut of Burberry perfume took place. It was developed in collaboration with Inter Parfums, which has licenses for the production of perfumes under the brands Banana Republic, Celine, Christian Lacroix, FUBU, Gap and many others.
In 1990, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales presents Burberry with a royal warrant for the supply of outerwear.
By the end of the 90s, the brand had reached crazy speeds. Unfortunately, reliable information about the figures has been lost. This is due to the fact that a lot of products were sold under license.
In 2000, a mono-brand store opened in the prestigious West End area on Bond Street.
In May 2001, Christopher Bailey took the position of Creative Director. In 2003, he was forced to reduce the production of clothing and accessories with a recognizable checkered print. This is due to the fact that in the period from 2001 to 2005, the company's image was seriously damaged. Burberry became associated with British football fans from the suburbs who wore plaid clothes and behaved inappropriately. It even got to the point that signs hung in front of the entrance to some pubs: "Entry in jeans, sneakers and Burberry is prohibited." Of course, these were not Burberry's original clothes, but cheap Chinese fakes.
In 2006, the contract of Rose Marie Bravo expired, which led the company to massive success in the market thanks to licensing. She considered that her role as an executive director of the company had come to an end and announced that she did not intend to renew the contract.
From July 1, 2006 until the spring of 2014, the position of CEO is being tried on by Angela Ahrendts. During 7.5 years of managing Burberry, Ahrendts raised the company's sales almost three times to more than $3 billion, while the company's capitalization grew by 300%. She radically changed the range of products and began to actively conquer new markets — China, India, the UAE and the USA. At the same time, it was Arends who was the first of such serious officials to promote designer luxury clothing in social networks.
Since 2006, Burberry products have been sold online in the UK, and since 2007 in the rest of the EU.