A ladies' Burberry handbag in the company's signature check pattern

Burberry is a U.K. based outfitter, manufacturing clothing and other apparel, often in a distinctive check pattern, that has become one of its most common copied trademarks. The company has branded stores and franchises around the world, and also sells through concessions in third party stores. It also runs a catalogue business and has a fragrance line. Both HM Queen Elizabeth and HRH The Prince of Wales have granted the company Royal Warrants. Download high resolution version (1680x1793, 2854 KB) A ladies Burberry handbag. ... Download high resolution version (1680x1793, 2854 KB) A ladies Burberry handbag. ... United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... (See also List of types of clothing) Introduction Humans often wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments or attire) on the body (for the alternative, see nudity). ... A trademark (Commonwealth English: trade mark) is a distinctive sign of some kind which is used by a business to uniquely identify itself and its products and services to consumers, and to distinguish the business and its products or services from those of other businesses. ... Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is the Queen regnant of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and... The Prince of Wales His Royal Highness The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... In the United Kingdom, a Royal Warrant is a grant made by senior members of the British Royal Family to companies or tradespeople who supply goods and services to individuals in the family. ...

History

Burberry clothing was founded in 1856 when 21 year old Thomas Burberry, a former draper's apprentice, opened his own store in Basingstoke, Hampshire. By 1870 the business had become well established and focused on the development of outdoors attire. In 1880 Thomas Burberry invented gabardine fabric, which is hardwearing, water-resistant, yet breathable, in which the yarn is waterproofed before weaving. A patent was taken out for this in 1888. 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Location within the British Isles View from Basingstoke railway station forecourt; the chrome yellow buildings stand on the site of older office buildings that have been demolished to build apartments. ... Hampshire (abbr. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Gabardine is a tough, tightly woven fabric used to make suits, overcoats and trousers, or a garment made from the material. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ...

Commercial for Burberry with Alsou.

In 1891 Thomas Burberry opened an emporium in the Haymarket, London, which still stands today as the company's headquarters. Ten years later, the company was commissioned by the War Office to design a new service uniform for British officers. They also became the outfitters for Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole in 1911, then to Ernest Shackleton on his 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica. When war broke out in Europe that year, the company modified its military designs to suit the conditions of contemporary warfare encountered by British troops, and the trenchcoat was created. After the war it became popular with civilians and over the years has been worn by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther films, and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. In 1955 Burberry was bought by Great Universal Stores (GUS), owners of U.K. High street retailers Argos and Homebase. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1570, 305 KB) Summary Alsou on a Burberry commercial in FHM Magazine. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1570, 305 KB) Summary Alsou on a Burberry commercial in FHM Magazine. ... Alsou on the cover of her self-titled debut album. ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Haymarket is a street in the St Jamess district of the City of Westminister in London, England. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7,500,000 and a metropolitan area population of between 12 and 14 million. ... Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ... Roald Amundsen Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (July 16, 1872–June 18?, 1928) was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. ... Location of the South Pole in the Antarctic continent. ... 1911 was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Ernest Henry Shackleton The Discovery Image:Baloonshack. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... For the Walt Disney Company film, see Trenchcoat (movie). ... Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957) was an iconic American actor who retains legendary status decades after his death. ... Casablanca is a 1942 movie set during World War II in the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca. ... Peter Sellers Richard Henry Sellers (September 8, 1925 – July 24, 1980), better known as Peter Sellers, was an English comedian, actor, and performer, who came to prominence on the BBC radio series The Goon Show, before embarking on a successful film career. ... The Pink Panther cartoon character. ... Adieu Audrey, one of several tribute books published after the actress death in 1993. ... Breakfast at Tiffanys is a novella by Truman Capote, published in 1958. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... GUS plc (LSE: GUS) is a FTSE 100 retailing group based in the United Kingdom. ... Ilfracombe High Street, Devon, England High Street, or the High Street is the generic name (and frequently the official name) of the business street of towns or cities in the United Kingdom . ... Argos is the largest general-goods retailer in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland with over 600 stores. ... Homebase is a DIY store and garden centre, with almost 300 stores across the United Kingdom. ...

The Burberry Check

The Burberry check pattern.

The red, white, black, and camel check, known as the 'Nova,' which came to be synonymous with Burberry, was first used as a lining for their trenchcoat in 1924. It wasn't until as late as 1967 that the Burberry Check, by now registered as a trademark, was widely used on its own for items including umbrellas, scarves and luggage. After the entry of a new management team in 1997, the brand was revitalised, after having been mainly the preserve of upper-middle class older women; and celebrities in the U.K. and U.S., including David and Victoria Beckham and hip-hop artists, gave it a wider appeal. During the 1980s the brand had become popular with the British Football Casual cult and this along with the exposure described above this led to it being associated with chav culture, hooligans and members of football firms in the 2000s. The Burberry check baseball cap was a particular favourite. However, the company has distanced itself from that element: "They're yesterday's news," stated Stacey Cartrwright, the CEO. "It was mostly counterfeit, and Britain accounts for less than 10% of our sales anyway." The Burberry Check pattern is often associated with chavs. The Burberry check pattern, a registered trademark of Burberry Ltd. ... The Burberry check pattern, a registered trademark of Burberry Ltd. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. ... Victoria Caroline Beckham (born as Adams, April 17th 1974-) is a British singer, originally in the girl band the Spice Girls, where she was known as Posh Spice. ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began among urban African Americans and Latinos in New York City in the early 1970s, and has since spread around the world. ... Look up chav and charva in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Hooliganism is unruly and destructive behaviour. ... A football firm is an organized gang – mostly supporting a football club – that engage in fights with firms supporting other clubs. ... A chief executive officer (CEO) or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or executive officer of a corporation, company, or agency. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

External links and references

• Burberry official website
• “British tabloids savage 'snooty' Burberry”, The Sun, 2005-01-13. (via Agenda)
• Tran, Mark: “Warm winter hits Burberry's UK sales”, The Guardian, 2005-01-12.
• “Burberry earns independence”, BBC News, 2000-11-30.