BURBERRY

Burberry is another one of my favorite fashion houses. My toggle coats and trench are made so well and look so amazing there's no words really to describe them. The history behind this line is really interesting as well so here's a little rundown on it. Burberry was founded in 1856 when 21-year-old Thomas Burberry, a former draper's apprentice, opened his first store in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. By 1870, the business established itself by focusing on the development of outdoors attire. In 1880, Burberry invented gabardine, a hardwearing, water-resistant yet breathable fabric, in which the yarn is waterproofed before weaving. The Gabardine was patented in 1888. In 1901, the Burberry Equestrian Knight Logo was developed (as shown above) containing the Latin word "Prorsum", meaning forwards, and registered as trademark. Burberry outfitted many historical figures including Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the south pole in 1911, Ernest Shackleton, who led an expedition to cross Antarctica in 1914 and George Mallory on his ill-fated attempt on Mt. Everest in 1924. In 1914 Burberry was commissioned by the War Office to adapt its officer's coat to suit the conditions of contemporary warfare, resulting in the "trench coat". After the war, the trench coat became popular amongst the civilians. The iconic Burberry check was created in the 1920's and used as a lining in it's trench coats. Burberry's trademark products are of course it's trench coats, it's fashionable handbags and exclusive fragrances. The Creative Director is currently Christopher Bailey and he continues to keep this incredible fashion house relevant in 2010!