kingy design history: Kelly

British Design Phenomenon of the Decade

Burberry founder, Thomas Burberry, is best known for inventing “Gabardine” in 1879. Gabardine fabric was ideal for the manufacturing of outdoor wear for sportsman and soldiers who were Burberry’s prime clientele in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

In the 1920’s, Burberry introduced its signature fabric, the black, tan, and red pattern known as haymarket check or the "Burberry classic check". Its distinctive tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks to this day.

It wasn’t until 1967 that Burberry began using gabardine to make umbrellas, luggage and scarves, which lead to the established retail stores in the 1980s. The retail boom led Burberry to take their name brand design in a new direction.

Today the Burberry name appears on classic and sophisticated women’s, men’s and children’s clothing lines, eye glasses and footwear, luggage, handbags, watches, gloves, scarves, fragrances, outer wear and even home furnishings. Burberry is currently capitalised at £2.1bn which dwarfs any other British clothing brand and is among the top ten global luxury brands.