Burberry Flagship (London, UK)

I've always loved traditional fashion houses regardless of whether the items they sell are my style or not. There's just something wonderful about a company that has witnessed so much in history and in the case of Burberry, founded in 1856, they've been through quite a lot - from economic depressions (not just this one) to wars (they supplied the trench coats) to various British monarchs (they have two Royal Warrants). But Burberry never really piqued my interest until Christopher Bailey came into the picture. For the longest time, this company had no brand identity, not even a design team - it was purely a product-oriented institution. Bailey himself says that it "had this magnificent history and this beautiful soul. I saw it as a diamond that had been trampled into the ground and my job was to just shine all the facets of this diamond."

Pre-fall and FW09 looks from Burberry London (left two) and Burberry Prorsum.

Many people still have a love-hate relationship with the brand, mainly because the ever-so-popular plaid print was widely copied and since the 70s it was this (generally counterfeited) pattern that ended up being the symbol of the so-called 'chavs' in the UK - a subset of the youth culture I can only describe as 'white-trash aggressive teens trying hard to look gangsta'. They sported everything from Burberry check caps to scarves. It took the company various ad and marketing strategies to rid themselves (at least partially) of this connection. To better illustrate how widely associated Burberry was (and still is to an extent) with this movement, I found some highly entertaining examples below:

Left: the Furberry. Right: Various caricatures. Note how they're all wearing Burberry caps. Click to enlarge.

Mr. Bailey of course played a big part in giving Burberry a younger more modern edge and it was a recent interview between him and Will Young (in Elle UK) that inspired me to check out one of the London stores again. Here's the part I really want to share:

Will: Talk me through the new stores. How do you approach those?

Christopher: Whether it's designing a fragrance, eye wear, a coat or a shop, it's always the same things: materials, colours, attitude, proportion. From the smell to the smile somebody gives you when you walk in.

W: That's so important. Because you walk into some shops and it completely changes your perception of a brand.

C: When I was a student, my dad wanted to buy a beautiful watch for my mum, so he sent me the money and a magazine picture and I went to the Bond Street store to get it. The experience was so intimidating, quite frightening and clinical. I wasn't welcome, I wasn't good enough to buy their product. My dad worked really hard to earn the money for that watch, and he was buying it with such love for my mum. It shattered the illusion of buying something special and beautiful. It stuck with me, so I always said that if I'm in a situation where I can control that experience, it will be the opposite - welcoming, friendly and warm.

FW09 campaign featuring Emma Watson.

Which is why I ended up going to the very big Burberry store in Knightsbridge, just to see if I got warm fuzzies from it. What I liked the most, was the fact that they had a giant version of the current ad campaign featuring Emma Watson plastered on the side of the building. Different images of the campaign could also be seen in every window and - as I would soon realize - they are also prominently displayed in-store as well. Sales were still in full-swing, so the boutique was pretty busy. Though I must say the London stores always tend to be full of people, just because the UK prices are better. And, because Bailey did his job well, the store is quite welcoming, casual and not intimidating at all.

Left: The shoe section. Right: Bags and accessories for women.

The boutique is a little glitzy, with shiny marbled floors, light wooden parquets or plush carpets (depending on which section you're in), various Plasma screens showing the current runway shows on a loop and sleek furniture. I started in the shoe section which still had an impressive range of all SS09 pieces available in many sizes. There were bags and scarves everywhere, with next-season's stock already displayed as well. And the staff was surprisingly friendly, despite the large influx of tourists, though I have heard from friends that they can be snooty as well.

Below right: Menswear

I spent some time in the menswear area, just because it was more quiet and I had no idea Burberry created that many accessories for the male consumer. I spent a while browsing briefcases, laptop bags and wallets I never knew existed. There were more people near the second entrance, which housed men's casual wear (shirts, jackets etc.). So I decided to head up towards the first floor.

Left: Accessories for men. Right: More menswear.

I was once again greeted by a giant Emma plastered along the two-storey-high wall near the stairwell. I'm sure she's used to seeing herself in magazines and on the big-screen, but if I were her, I'd be freaked seeing myself in such a large proportion.

Behold the giant Emma (left) near the stairs... Right: More Emma in the women's Burberry Prorsum section.

The upper level was slightly less busy. I checked out the new Burberry Prorsum range, then looked through the sale items (nothing in my size, go figure). I was really surprised by how heavily reduced the items were. Entering the main area that sold outerwear, I noticed that even the classic black or beige trench went as low as £350. A few girls near the mirrors were trying some on, so I joined them, but thankfully nothing really suited me.

Trenchcoat heaven.

I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of the classic Haymarket check or any other variation such as the Nova check that shares the same colors. Having seen too many Burberry knock-offs in my life (I did grow up in Hong Kong after all), the pattern was too ubiquitous for me to ever think of it as special. Of course this tartan pattern is everywhere once you enter the store, but as I do like tartan in general, I quite liked seeing the non-traditional checks on wellies, umbrellas and scarves.

Tartan mania.

I also took a quick look in the children's section, which was fairly large. I have no idea why someone would spend that amount of money on something a child will outgrow within a few months, but the mini Burberry trenches all looked quite cute, so I can understand if certain women end up buying one of these on impulse.

I actually quite like the wellies on the lowest shelf (left). Right: Children's wear.

The flagship definitely had a department store vibe, meaning people were wandering around, pulling things of racks and trying them on. It's really a nice change from boutiques that are so museum-like, you're scared to touch the pieces or (even worse) feel like you should have dressed up just to enter the building. Staff was milling around, but you were never followed or watched - a good thing, because I have a huge aversion to what I refer to as 'SA-stalking.' It's definitely the least intimidating designer boutique you'll find, so well-done Christopher Bailey - you've definitely achieved your goal. And if you're a huge Emma Watson fan, you should head on over - seeing her projected larger-than-life is is the next-best thing to meeting her in person.

Left: More from the women's collection. Right: Overview of the upper level.

Address: 2 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7PB
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00, Sun: 12:00-18:00
Burberry Homepage & Online Shop