Burberry Travels Back In Time For Brand Revamp Under Its New Creative Chief
It didn’t feel that long ago when Burberry introduced its eye-popping, Peter Saville-designed Thomas Burberry Monogram. But that was in 2018, before you-know-what happened and turned the world topsy-turvy. Now, under the stewardship of new chief creative officer Daniel Lee, the luxury label has unleashed a reformed brand identity to mark its next chapter.
Lee, the former creative director of Bottega Veneta, has taken the reins from Riccardo Tisci after his predecessor’s five-year tenure.
In the days leading to its rebirth, Burberry scrubbed its social media accounts clean, and it’s now revived them with the first campaign teasing Lee’s creative expression.
Stamped on images captured by British photographer Tyrone Lebon is the resuscitated ‘Equestrian Knight Design’ (EKD), first unveiled in 1901 and last updated in 1999 after the company—then known as Burberrys—made the decision to drop the ’s’ from its name. The emblem was eliminated in 2018 when Tisci took over as creative director, and it’s now making a return under Lee’s helm.
The equestrian knight is paired with the word “Prorsum,” Latin for “Forwards,” a nod to the evolution of Burberry.
A new Burberry wordmark replaces the old bold block letters and features slight serifs. The branding is “archive-inspired,” explains the fashion house, and it looks like a combination of Burberry’s first and second logos.
Burberry's Logo evolution âš¡ pic.twitter.com/IacCS7SG1I
— 97th Vintage (@97thVintage) February 5, 2022
With its new look, Burberry has looked the other way of fashion “blanding,” something it has been previously called out for. Will this transition spark a new decorative era for the luxury world?
Lee’s debut campaign is decidedly British, featuring British icons—including musicians John Glacier, Shygirl, and Skepta, soccer star Raheem Sterling, models Lennon Gallagher and Liberty Ross, and actor Vanessa Redgrave—in front of London landmarks.
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Also lensed is South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, who was appointed a Burberry brand ambassador last year.
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All this is just a precursor to what the new Burberry will bring. The products seen in the visuals are still Tisci’s work; Lee’s design vision won’t fully materialize until his debut runway collection at London Fashion Week later this month.
[via Business of Fashion and Vogue Business, images via various sources]
