Thomas Burberry Fashion Designer Definition

History

Burberry
clothing
was founded
in 1856
when 21
year old

Thomas Burberry,
a former
draper’s
apprentice,
opened his
own store
in Basingstoke,
Hampshire.
By 1870
the business
had become
well established
and focused
on the development
of outdoors
attire.
In 1880
Thomas Burberry
invented

gabardine
fabric,
which is
hardwearing,
water-resistant,
yet breathable,
in which
the yarn
is waterproofed
before weaving.
A patent
was taken
out for
this in
1888.

In 1891
Thomas Burberry
opened an
emporium
in the Haymarket,
London,
which still
stands today
as the company’s
headquarters.
Ten years
later, the
company
was commissioned
by the War
Office to
design a
new service
uniform
for British
officers.
They also
became the
outfitters
for Roald
Amundsen,
the first
man to reach
the South
Pole in
1911, then
to Ernest
Shackleton
on his 1914
expedition
to cross
Antarctica.
When war
broke out
in Europe
that year,
the company
modified
its military
designs
to suit
the conditions
of contemporary
warfare
encountered
by British
troops,
and the

trenchcoat
was created.
After the
war it became
popular
with civilians
and over
the years
has been
worn by
Humphrey
Bogart in
Casablanca,
Peter Sellers
in the Pink
Panther
films, and
Audrey Hepburn
in Breakfast
at Tiffany’s.
In 1955
Burberry
was bought
by Great
Universal
Stores (GUS),
owners of
U.K. High
street retailers
Argos and
Homebase.