What’s Next For Burberry?

It takes a lot to change the public’s perception, so turning Burberry from a label no one would touch into a global powerhouse was no mean feat. The man responsible for this transition was Christopher Bailey, who cut his teeth at Donna Karen, then Gucci. Creative director of Burberry since 2004, as well as CEO of the label since 2014, he's credited with not only its brand transformation, but its business development too, with a peak £2.5 billion revenue in 2014.

How? For starters, he ditched the then-infamous check print, focusing instead on the label’s British heritage. Dramatic updates to the classic trench ensued – think lacy evening iterations, irresistible double breasting and cashmere versions – coupled with bright young British stars fronting campaigns. Names like Edie Campbell, Sienna Miller, Eddie Redmayne and, of course, Cara Deleveigne helped redefine what the Burberry name stood for, combined with under-the-radar English artists enlisted to perform in shows and a FROW peppered with high profile UK names. 

On top of desirable product and branding came the pioneering combination of technology and fashion. Under Bailey’s stewardship, Burberry was the first luxury brand to advertise through Snapchat’s Discover channel function; premiering runway collections through the app. They joined forces with blogging sensation The Sartorialist for a digital campaign, The Art of the Trench, live-streamed fashion shows and created viral videos (remember Romeo Beckham’s Christmas film short?) to engage young, digitally savvy customers and create unrivalled online buzz.