Burberry drafts Peter Saville for a simplified graphic identity
British fashion house Burberry has unveiled its latest rebrand – a graphic collaboration between chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci and Peter Saville, the designer best known for his album artwork of the 1980s.
The brand’s refreshed identity centres on a monogram print that spells ‘TB’ – the initials of the fashion label’s founder, Thomas Burberry. The heavily outlined interlinking tessellation of red, white and honey colours is reminiscent of Burberry’s famous nova check.
Burberry has also eschewed its Equestrian Knight emblem and wide-spaced lettering for a logo featuring only its name and ‘London England’. The insignia uses bespoke typeface Bodoni, which has been used by the company since 1901.
Saville, who is cited for putting Manchester back on the map as a creative hotspot, explained the new logo represents the brand’s desire to transcend its heritage trench coat as a modern designer.
“Historically, Burberry’s logotype was appropriate to the trench coat’s utilitarian nature,” the Unknown Pleasures designer told Dezeen. “Burberry needed an identity that is fluid and able to cross over into all the categories that are required of a big luxury clothing and accessories brand – something to transcend the company provenance without denying it.”
Burberry released details of the rebrand on Instagram earlier today (2 August). It posted six images, three of which are of emails exchanged between Tisci and Saville regarding the commissioning and design process.
“For Burberry it’s a big shift, but in the context of current branding trends the word-mark is not ground breaking,” reviewed Tom Foley, creative type director at Monotype. “Some unconventional proportions and outline treatments give it character, but that may not be perceptible to non-type geeks. It does perhaps reference early industrial sans serif styles (Victorian) – no doubt in homage to Burberry’s heritage.
“It’s not surprising in the current trend of brands opting for simplicity, but it’s a big change for Burberry. It has an unrefined feel which lends a touch of character in a pretty constructed style. I’m interested to see what comes next and how this plays our across Burberry’s wider brand and marketing.” The sans serif logo has so far received a mixed response from the design, branding and fashion communities on Twitter.
Not really sure how to feel about Burberry’s new logo. Looks like they’re trying to follow the steps of Balenciaga or Saint Laurent… It’s been its impeccable, classic British style; that has made it stand out from “millennial” looking brands. I wonder what’s Riccardo’s vision! pic.twitter.com/9cAWFWZanq — Diego Arango (@DiegsArango) August 2, 2018
LOVE it, absolutely gorgeous. Burberry Reveals New Logo and Monogram by Peter Saville https://t.co/j35X7uxpyL
— Corien Kershey (@CorienKershey) August 2, 2018
Agreed.. I would love to see the reasoning behind this new logo. Seems that digital adjustment have taken over and been given to much relevance vs identity here. — Urban Johansson (@RealUrban) August 2, 2018
One of these is Burberry’s new logo – it took ‘the UK’s most famous graphic designer’ (Guardian, 2013) 4 weeks to create. The other, I just knocked it up in Word in 20 secs. Which is which?
Answer here (including a monogram that is actually quite cool): https://t.co/uAW5rH6pjl pic.twitter.com/HXDc7xJeOB
— Rich Leigh (@RichLeighPR) August 2, 2018
Burberry has found itself literally under fire this month after admitting to burning £28m of its excess stock to protect its luxury status.
Tisci was appointed as chief creative officer in March this year, following the departure of Christopher Bailey.
