Has Burberry Started an Anti-Sans-Serif Logo Trend?

Daniel Lee’s first creative expression as Burberry creative director pointed towards a few things.

Firstly, that a Lee Burberry will look considerably different from his predecessor Ricardo Tisci’s, and secondly that, as expected, the house will look to rediscover its Britishness after a stint in the abyss.

Thirdly, though — and arguably most pertinent — it looks like the world of luxury fashion could be leaving its lazy-ass minimalist Sans-Serif logo era behind once and for all.

Lee’s new-look Burberry — which has been described by the brand as “a modern take on British luxury” and “a new chapter” — came equipped with a refreshed take of Burberry’s “Equestrian Knight” logo that was first used at the beginning of the 20th century.

This updated motif will replace the Sans-Serif-style logo the house has been using since early 2018, a design similar to that of other luxury labels like Saint-Laurent, Balenciaga, Berluti, and Balmain, who too opted for uninspired geometric motifs in recent years.

From where I’m sat, Lee’s Burberry reboot looks to be a welcomed change from the aforementioned (albeit brief) Sans-Serif period, and brings with it new character and personality.

While I’m not totally against a minimalist logo by any means (I’m all for straight lines and sharp corners, if you must know), luxury has been flogging that dead horse for some time now.

Sure, I’m not suggesting a Burberry-style reboot for every new creative director, but maybe some more inspired concepts from now on wouldn’t go a miss.