ACTIVITIES
Burberry is a UK producer of designer clothing and accessories. The famous Burberry pattern became known for numerous counterfeits. Burberry operates boutiques and franchise stores all over the world, and has now established itself as one of the most popular luxury brands worldwide.
HISTORY
In 1856, a young draper’s apprentice Thomas Burberry, who suffered from rheumatisms, was advised by a doctor to stop wearing his rubber raincoat as it did not allow evacuating perspiration. Few weeks later, Thomas opened his first shop in Winchester Street in Basingstoke to sell waterproof trench coats. After a while, many regional notables, Gerrish, John Mares, Ames and Simpkins, became his customers, and later – his partners at the Burberry Haymarket & Sons.
In a couple of years, the company of Thomas Burberry grew into a department store employing 80 people. The company specialized in producing raincoats. In 1880, Thomas Burberry created the famous gabardine, a breathable water-resistant fabric, in which the yarn was waterproofed before weaving. The idea of such fabric came to his mind after he met a shepherd of his region, who revealed him a secret of his water-resistant jacket that was made of specially woven wool sheep treated by animal products to protect from the water.
Inspired by this discovery, in 1888 Thomas Burberry registered a patent for gabardine, and developed five types of the fabric with different thickness: Double- Weave, Airylight , Wait -a-Bit , Karoo and Tropical.
DESCRIPTION / KEY FACTS
Burberry group is a British producer of luxury goods. The company also produces perfumes and colognes. Elisabeth II and Prince Charles have granted the company a Royal Warrants in 1955 and 1989, respectively.
