Burberry is a British luxury fashion house founded by Thomas Burberry in 1856. The brand was established in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, by the 21-year-old former draper's apprentice. Burberry is known for its iconic trench coats and unique, recognisable tartan pattern. In addition to its fashion line and accessories, Burberry offers an exclusive line of fragrances for men and women, with its first perfume, Burberry for Men, appearing in 1981.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Founder | Thomas Burberry |
Year founded | 1856 |
Founder's age at founding | 21 |
Headquarters | London, England |
Founder's occupation before founding | Draper's apprentice |
Known for | Trench coats |
First store location | Basingstoke, Hampshire, England |
Year of first store | 1856 |
Year of second store | 1891 |
Second store location | Haymarket, London |
What You'll Learn
Thomas Burberry founded the company in 1856
Burberry is a luxury British design house that has distinguished itself with fashion and accessories, including the now-iconic trench coat and the brand's unique and recognisable tartan pattern.
Thomas Burberry invented gabardine, a breathable, weatherproof and hard-wearing fabric that revolutionised rainwear. Up until then, rainwear had typically been heavy and uncomfortable to wear. Gabardine was patented in 1888.
By 1870, the business had established itself by focusing on the development of outdoor attire. In 1879, Burberry introduced gabardine to his brand, and in 1891, he opened a shop in Haymarket, London.
In 1901, the Burberry Equestrian Knight logo was developed, containing the Latin word "Prorsum", meaning "forwards", and it was registered as a trademark in 1909.
In 1911, the company became the outfitters for Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton, who led a 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica.
The "trench coat" was born during the First World War, adapted to meet the needs of military personnel. After the war, it became popular with civilians.
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The company was established in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England
Thomas Burberry founded the company in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, in 1856 when he was just 21 years old. Burberry was founded on the principle that clothing should be designed to protect people from the British weather.
The company was established in Basingstoke, a large town and the administrative centre of the county of Hampshire, in the south of England. The area has a long history, with evidence of settlements dating back to the Bronze Age. Basingstoke is known for its mix of old and new, with a medieval church and a 16th-century mansion sitting alongside modern developments. The town is surrounded by picturesque Hampshire countryside, including the North Downs and South Downs National Parks.
Basingstoke has good transport links to London and the rest of the country, which may have been a factor in Burberry's decision to establish the company there. The town has a strong business sector, with a number of well-known companies choosing to base their headquarters or regional offices in the area.
By establishing his company in Basingstoke, Thomas Burberry laid the foundation for what would become one of the world's most renowned luxury fashion houses.
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Burberry is a British luxury fashion house
By 1870, the business had established itself by focusing on the development of outdoor attire. In 1879, Burberry introduced gabardine to his brand—a hard-wearing, water-resistant, yet breathable fabric in which the yarn is waterproofed before weaving. In 1888, Burberry patented gabardine, and in 1891, the brand opened a shop in Haymarket, London.
In 1901, the Burberry Equestrian Knight logo was developed, containing the Latin word "Prorsum", meaning "forward", and it was registered as a trademark in 1909. In 1911, the company became the official outfitters for Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton, who led a 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica.
During the First World War, Burberry adapted its products to meet the needs of military personnel, and the iconic ""trench coat" was born. After the war, the trench coat became popular with civilians. The Burberry check, now registered as a trademark, was introduced as a lining to the brand's rainwear.
In addition to its fashion line and accessories, including its now-iconic trench coat and trademark tartan pattern, Burberry offers an exclusive line of fragrances for men and women, many in bottles adorned with the company's signature tartan. Their first perfume, Burberry for Men, appeared in 1981.
Today, Burberry operates over 500 stores around the world and is recognised as an industry leader in the 'Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods' sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
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Burberry Men was launched in 1995
Burberry Men is a versatile scent, suitable for all seasons and occasions. It is a classic, timeless, masculine, mature, elegant, and luxurious scent. It is a well-blended, high-quality, long-lasting fragrance with good projection. It is a safe, inoffensive, and sophisticated scent, perfect for the office.
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Burberry fragrances for women include Goddess, Her and Signatures
Goddess
Burberry Goddess is an aromatic fragrance for women. It was launched in 2023 and is the brand's first-ever refillable fragrance. The perfume is led by a trio of vanillas, with top notes of vanilla, lavender, cacao and ginger; a middle note of vanilla caviar; and a base note of vanilla absolute. The vanilla beans are collected by hand and dried in the sun for five to seven weeks, then stored in wooden boxes to mature. The bottle design is inspired by Burberry's heritage, with a gold label on the outer casing that references the brand's long-standing gabardine fabric. The archive-inspired bottle is modernised with a gold medallion. The face of the fragrance is British-French actor Emma Mackey.
Her
Burberry Her comes in Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette, as well as Eau de Parfum Intense and Eau de Toilette Blossom. The Eau de Parfum is available in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml, as well as a 100ml gift set. The Eau de Toilette is also available in 100ml. The Eau de Parfum Intense is available in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml. The Blossom Eau de Toilette is available in 100ml. The Her range also includes Elixir de Parfum and a Petals Limited Edition.
Signatures
The Burberry Signatures range is inspired by the beauty of the outdoors. It includes the High Tea Eau de Parfum, available in 100ml.
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Frequently asked questions
Burberry was founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, a former draper's apprentice.
Thomas Burberry was 21 years old when he founded Burberry.
Burberry is a British luxury fashion house that designs and distributes ready-to-wear clothing, including trench coats, leather accessories, and footwear. They also offer an exclusive line of fragrances for men and women.
Burberry's first perfume, Burberry for Men, was launched in 1981.
Burberry for Men is a woody aromatic fragrance with top notes of mint, lavender, bergamot, and thyme. The middle notes include cedar, sandalwood, geranium, jasmine, and oakmoss, while the base notes are musk, vanilla, and amber.