Burberry is a British luxury fashion house known for outerwear, accessories, and a licensing business that extends the brand into fragrances. It built its reputation on practical, weatherproof garments and then turned that utility into a global luxury identity. Its most recognisable codes are the trench coat and the beige, black, red, and white tartan often copied by imitators.

Founded	1856
Founder	Thomas Burberry
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Known for	Trench coats, gabardine outerwear, tartan pattern, luxury accessories
Business model	Retail stores, concessions, franchises, and licensed fragrances

How Burberry began

Thomas Burberry founded the company in 1856 in Basingstoke, England, initially making durable clothing for the British climate. His most important technical contribution was gabardine, a tightly woven, weather-resistant fabric that protected against rain while staying lighter than rubberised alternatives. That material helped Burberry move from practical outfitter to a name associated with innovation.

The trench coat emerged from military needs during the First World War, when Burberry and other makers supplied officers with coats designed for field use. Its belt, epaulettes, storm flap, and deep pockets came from function rather than decoration. Those details remained after the coat entered civilian fashion, and they still define the silhouette today.

Why the tartan matters

Burberry’s tartan is one of the clearest examples of a brand turning a textile pattern into a corporate signature. The check began as an interior lining and later appeared more widely across garments and accessories. Its scale, color placement, and association with the label make it instantly identifiable, which is why it has been so heavily copied and policed.

In practice, the pattern does two jobs at once. It signals British heritage, but it also works as a luxury marker on scarves, bags, umbrellas, and linings that may otherwise be plain. That mix of restraint and recognisability has helped Burberry keep its visual language consistent across products and decades.

What does Burberry make now?

Burberry now operates as a full fashion brand rather than a single-product maker. It sells men’s and women’s clothing, leather goods, footwear, scarves, eyewear, and perfumes through licensed agreements. It also trades on the idea of outerwear expertise, which keeps coats and rainwear central to the brand even when seasonal fashion shifts.

The company’s retail model matters as much as the products. Burberry uses flagship stores, branded concessions inside department stores, and franchises in some markets to control presentation while reaching a wide audience. That structure lets the company stage a coherent luxury environment around items that are often produced at industrial scale.

Why Burberry still matters in fashion

Burberry matters because it shows how a technical garment can become a luxury symbol without losing all connection to use. The trench coat was never just decoration; it came from rainwear, military wear, and British weather. That origin gives the brand a sharper identity than labels built only on style.

It also matters as a case study in brand management. The company has had to protect its check, refresh its image, and balance heritage with contemporary fashion cycles. For image makers, editors, and stylists, Burberry remains useful because it carries instant visual shorthand: military cut, rainproof cloth, and a pattern that reads as British luxury even at a glance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Burberry a fashion brand or a luxury company?

Burberry is both. It is a fashion house that makes clothing and accessories, but it also operates as a luxury business with premium pricing, controlled retail spaces, and brand licensing. Its identity depends on design, distribution, and image in equal measure.

What is gabardine?

Gabardine is a tightly woven fabric developed by Thomas Burberry to resist weather while staying breathable. It became important because it made coats practical for wet conditions without the stiffness of heavier rain gear. The fabric helped define Burberry’s early reputation for technical outerwear.

Why is Burberry’s trench coat so famous?

The trench coat became famous because it combined military utility with a clean, adaptable shape that survived changes in dress. Its details are functional, but they also create a recognisable design language. Over time, film, photography, and fashion editorials turned it into one of the most enduring coats in modern dress.