Is it time to get back to basics for Burberry? Or to run away from the basics?
Daniel Lee ushered in a new era by rebranding the British brand Burberry as he became the new creative director. The rebranding process started with a new logo that features a subtle and elegant version of the traditional Burberry lettering. At the same time, the classic “Prorsum” logo is making a comeback in white and blue tones in this new era of Burberry. Is it a coincidence that it's making a comeback in these colors? Of course not. The return of the "Prorsum" logo, which was first introduced in 1901 with royal blue and white, is a sign that Lee has moved away from the trends of recent times and will be more focused on the values of British culture. In this case, two questions come to mind: Is Burberry returning to its old habits or is there an escape from tradition?
Image Credit: Burberry
These questions are hard to answer, but we can actually understand Burberry's rebranding process by comparing Riccardo Tisci's era with Daniel Lee's era. The logo change, which was very popular and somewhat radical in the Riccardo Lee era, was in a minimal and sans-serif font. Burberry was not alone in this change. From Celine to Calvin Klein, we witnessed a period in which almost most of the logos looked the same in the name of minimalism. But that was over for Burberry with the Daniel Lee era.
The Lee era simply said goodbye to the Sans-serif font. In the new logo, we see the decorations and tails that are usually found in the logo of a traditional luxury brand. The new Burberry logo marks a shift in the foundations of modern luxury branding by protecting its traditional sense and minimizing it.
The new Burberry wordmark (left) vs the 2018 version (right) (Image credit: Burberry logo)
The Equestrian Knight design is back (Image credit: Burberry)
Burberry's rebranding process is not just about changing the logo. Burberry’s new campaign includes British talents such as Shygirl, Skepta, John Glacier, Liberty Ross, and Lennon Gallagher, and the faces of the campaign are photographed in front of city highlights in London and feature classic patterns and Burberry's iconic trench coats. This campaign is actually a sign that in the new era, the brand will be more loyal to its British roots and present it to us by combining the idea of the traditional London lifestyle and the idea of today’s London lifestyle in a slightly more modern way.
Image Credit: Burberry
There is no such thing as a complete break-up with old habits. On the contrary, it would be wrong to evaluate Lee's era as escaping or returning to traditionalism because this new era is actually more about British culture, legacy, and brand values. The new era of Burberry aims to return to British roots and adapt them to the modern world. Lee explains this situation best to Vogue Runway with the following words; “Burberry flies the flag for Britishness and for the UK and for culture. So, we have to use our platforms because we have a responsibility to communicate those things.”
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