History of Burberry in Timeline

Burberry Group plc, founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, is a British luxury fashion company headquartered in London, England. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes ready-to-wear items, including its iconic trench coats. Its product line also encompasses a wide variety of other goods like leather accessories, footwear, and fragrances. Burberry is a publicly traded company listed on the London Stock Exchange and is part of the FTSE 250 Index.

1901: Burberry Equestrian Knight Logo Development

In 1901, the Burberry Equestrian Knight logo, featuring the Latin word "Prorsum" meaning "forwards," was created.

1909: Trademark Registration of the Equestrian Knight Logo

Burberry registered its Equestrian Knight logo as a trademark in 1909.

1911: Outfitters for Polar Explorers

In 1911, Burberry became the outfitters for renowned polar explorers Roald Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton.

1914: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition

Ernest Shackleton wore Burberry on his 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica.

1924: Mallory's Everest Attempt

George Mallory wore a Burberry gabardine jacket during his attempt to climb Mount Everest in 1924.

1928: The Debenham Sisters and Burberry

In 1928, celebrity motorcycling sisters Betty and Nancy Debenham recommended Burberry trench coats in their book "Motor-Cycling for Women".

1930: Mrs. Victor Bruce's Round the World Flight

In 1930, Burberry outfitted Mrs. Victor Bruce for her round-the-world flight and her solo flight to Japan.

1937: Record-Breaking Flight

A. E. Clouston and Betty Kirby-Green broke the world record for the fastest return flight from London to Cape Town in 1937, flying "The Burberry" airplane sponsored by the brand.

1955: Acquisition by GUS

Burberry became part of Great Universal Stores (GUS) in 1955, marking the end of its era as an independent family-controlled company.

1997: Corporate Reorganization and Brand Restoration

In 1997, Victor Barnett became chairman of Burberry and hired Rose Marie Bravo to lead a corporate reorganization and restore the brand's luxury image.

May 2001: Christopher Bailey Joins Burberry

Christopher Bailey joined Burberry as creative director in May 2001.

2001: Successful IPO

Burberry had a successful initial public offering (IPO) in 2001 under the leadership of Victor Barnett.

2001: Association with "Chav" Culture Begins

Burberry's brand image shifted in 2001, becoming associated with "chav" and football hooligan culture.

July 2002: Burberry's IPO on the London Stock Exchange

Burberry Group plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in July 2002.

December 2005: GUS Divests Remaining Interest

GUS fully divested its remaining stake in Burberry in December 2005.

2005: Brand Image Issues Peak

By 2005, the negative association with "chav" culture and the rise of counterfeit products significantly impacted Burberry's brand reputation.

2005: Tisci's Time at Givenchy

Riccardo Tisci served as creative director at Givenchy from 2005 to 2017 before joining Burberry.

January 2006: Angela Ahrendts Joins Burberry

Angela Ahrendts joined Burberry from Liz Claiborne in January 2006.

July 2006: Ahrendts Becomes CEO

Angela Ahrendts took over as CEO of Burberry in July 2006, succeeding Rose Marie Bravo.

October 2006: Online Sales Launch in the UK

Burberry launched online sales in the UK in October 2006 after initially starting online sales in the US.

2007: Expansion of Online Sales to the EU

In 2007, Burberry expanded its online sales operations to the rest of the European Union.

July 2012: Burberry Maintains UK Production Facilities

As of July 2012, Burberry had two production facilities in Great Britain located in Castleford and Keighley.

2012: Ahrendts Highest Paid CEO in the UK

In 2012, Angela Ahrendts was reported as the highest-paid CEO in the UK, earning £16.9 million.

October 2013: Ahrendts' Move to Apple Announced

Angela Ahrendts' departure from Burberry to join Apple Inc. was announced in October 2013.

April 2014: Ahrendts Joins Apple, Bailey Becomes Burberry CEO

Angela Ahrendts officially joined Apple in April 2014, with Christopher Bailey succeeding her as Burberry's CEO.

2014: Bailey Becomes Chief Creative Officer and CEO

Christopher Bailey was appointed chief creative officer and CEO of Burberry in 2014.

July 2016: Gobbetti Appointed CEO, Bailey Becomes President and Creative Director, "Mr Burberry" Launch

Marco Gobbetti was appointed CEO of Burberry in July 2016, with Christopher Bailey transitioning to the role of President and Creative Director. The same year, Burberry also launched the "Mr Burberry" fragrance.

May 2017: Employee Relocation to Leeds

In May 2017, Burberry announced the relocation of 300 employees from London to Leeds.

July 2017: Gobbetti Replaces Bailey as CEO

Marco Gobbetti formally replaced Christopher Bailey as CEO of Burberry in July 2017.

November 2017: Bailey Steps Down as CEO

Christopher Bailey stepped down from his role as CEO of Burberry in November 2017.

2017: Value of Destroyed Goods in 2017

Burberry destroyed unsold goods worth £26.9 million during its 2017 financial year.

March 2018: Bailey's Departure as Chief Creative Officer

Christopher Bailey left his position as chief creative officer at Burberry in March 2018, completing his departure from the brand by the end of the year.

March 2018: Riccardo Tisci Appointed Chief Creative Officer

Riccardo Tisci, formerly of Givenchy, joined Burberry as chief creative officer in March 2018.

April 2018: Gerry Murphy Becomes Chairman

Gerry Murphy took over as chairman of Burberry's board in April 2018, succeeding Sir John Peace.

May 2018: Lawsuit Against Target Corporation

Burberry filed a lawsuit against Target Corporation in May 2018 for alleged copying of its check print designs.

July 2018: Controversy Over Destruction of Unsold Goods

In July 2018, reports emerged that Burberry had destroyed unsold goods worth over £90 million in the past five years to maintain brand exclusivity.

September 2018: Burberry Halts Destruction of Unsold Goods and Fur Use

In September 2018, Burberry announced the immediate cessation of destroying unsold goods and committed to phasing out real fur from its products.

February 2019: Burberry Hoodie Controversy

In February 2019, Burberry issued an apology for featuring a hoodie with a noose design during its London Fashion Week show. The item was subsequently removed from their collection following criticism from a model and a widespread negative online reaction.

February 2020: Burberry Store Closures in China

In February 2020, Burberry closed 24 of its 64 stores in mainland China due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 2020: Burberry Job Cuts

In July 2020, Burberry announced 500 job cuts globally, including 150 positions at its UK headquarters, to save £55 million after experiencing declining sales from the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 2021: Burberry Xinjiang Controversy

In March 2021, Burberry became the first luxury brand targeted in China due to backlash against sanctions related to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Actress Zhou Dongyu, a brand ambassador, ended her contract with the company.

April 2022: Jonathan Akeroyd Appointed CEO of Burberry

In April 2022, Jonathan Akeroyd, former Versace boss, became Burberry's chief executive, succeeding Marco Gobbetti. Akeroyd received a £6 million "golden hello" to compensate for lost bonuses and share awards from his previous role.

September 2022: Daniel Lee Appointed Chief Creative Officer of Burberry

In September 2022, Burberry announced Daniel Lee, former creative director of Bottega Veneta, would replace Riccardo Tisci as chief creative officer. Also in 2022, the company banned exotic skins, such as alligator and snake, from its collections.

2022: Vachirawit Chivaaree as Burberry's Brand Ambassador

In 2022, Thai artist Vachirawit Chivaaree was named Burberry's first Global Brand Ambassador from the South Asia-Pacific Region.

February 2023: Burberry Reintroduces Equestrian Knight Logo

In February 2023, Burberry launched a new logo and branding, reinstating the Equestrian Knight logo. The advertising campaign featured British models and musicians Shygirl, Liberty Ross, and Skepta.

February 2023: New Direction for Burberry

In February 2023, Daniel Lee introduced a new direction for Burberry, described as "a modern take on British luxury".

March 2023: Burberry Tote Featured in Succession

On March 29, 2023, a Burberry tote bag appeared in an episode of the television show Succession, leading to a significant increase in online searches for the brand.

April 2023: Rapper Kano in Burberry Campaign

In April 2023, rapper Kano was featured in a Burberry marketing campaign launched by Daniel Lee, emphasizing "a modern take on British luxury."

October 2023: Burberry and Vestiaire Collective Partnership

In October 2023, Burberry partnered with Vestiaire Collective on a circular style project. Customers could exchange used Burberry items for gift cards, encouraging resale and reducing waste.

2023: Allegations of Uyghur Forced Labor at Burberry

In 2023, research by various groups, including the European Parliament's social democratic party and Sheffield Hallam University, accused Burberry of using Uyghur forced labor from the Sunrise Manufacture Group Co.