Burberry
Founded in 1856, Burberry is one of the most recognised luxury brands globally.
Thomas Burberry was just 21 years old when he founded his outfitting business, however, it was in 1879 that he secured his legacy as a visionary and innovator with his invention of gabardine. Celebrated explorers and adventurers turned to Burberry gabardine in the years that followed, including Sir Ernest Shackleton who wore gabardine for his expedition to Antarctica. Gabardine is still used in the manufacture of Burberry Heritage Trench Coats and Burberry’s operations in Leeds City Region are at the heart of this. Burberry started making fabric at a mill in Keighley in 2010 and in 2012 took over the site that is now known as the Burberry Mill. It is here that gabardine is woven.
The fabric is then shipped to Burberry’s factory in Castleford where both the Trench Coat and other fashion styles have been made by hand since the 1960s. In 2017, the company further strengthened its ties with Yorkshire, opening Burberry Business Services in Leeds, bringing together teams from Finance, HR, IT, Procurement and Customer Service. Burberry contributes to local economies and drives positive change in the communities who support the luxury industry. In Leeds City Region, it does this through Burberry Inspire, run by The Burberry Foundation.
The first project of its kind, Burberry Inspire aims to give young people deep and varied experience of arts and culture while studying the impact on their development.