Burberry unveils “archive-inspired” charging knight logo

British heritage brand Burberry has unveiled a logo that uses an equestrian knight motif that was created for the brand over 100 years ago along with a serif typeface.

Campaign imagery adorned with the new logo, which was posted to Instagram earlier this week, announced the redesign as “the first creative expression” under the direction of new chief creative officer Daniel Lee.

The campaign imagery followed after the brand wiped its profile of former imagery and content led by Lee’s predecessor Italian fashion designer, Riccardo Tisci.

The rebrand includes a 122-year-old motif, titled Equestrian Knight Design, that was the winning entry of a public competition to design a new logo for the heritage brand in 1901.

The Equestrian Knight Design is a motif that has been used throughout Burberry’s history and takes shape as a horse-riding knight carrying a flag that is branded with the word “Prorsum” – a Latin word that translates to forwards.

In a statement, Burberry explained that the new logo was informed by its history.

“The new Burberry logo is archive-inspired,” said the brand in a press release.

“The original Equestrian Knight Design was the winning entry of a public competition to design a new logo, circa 1901. The design features the Latin word ‘Prorsum’ meaning ‘Forwards’.”

Alongside the equestrian iconography, a new typeface was unveiled that reverted to a serif font and referenced the luxury brand’s older wordmarks prior to Tisci’s 2018 graphic identity rebrand.

The 2018 rebrand saw British graphic designer Peter Saville develop a sans-serif font to replace an Equestrian Knight Logo, which had identified the brand since 1999. Saville also developed a monogram comprised of interlocking and tessellating TB’s.

British designer, Lee was announced as Burberry’s chief creative officer in October 2022 just days after Tisci presented his final collection for the brand. Lee previously headed Bottega Veneta and was responsible for reviving the Italian heritage brand.

Lee is scheduled to present his first collection at Burberry on 20 February during London Fashion Week.

In other recent fashion branding news, Italian fashion house Ferragamo unveiled a new logo in September 2022 that was designed by Saville. The new identity transformed its handwritten logo into a custom serif typeface that is said to reference stone inscriptions.

The photography is by Tyrone Lebon.

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