There are few patterns more recognisable than the iconic Burberry (BRBY) check: a beige base overlaid with intersecting black, white and red stripes. The tartan first appeared as a lining on the inside of the brand’s signature trench coats a century ago. But in the modern era it didn’t become ubiquitous until the years around the millennium, when Burberry’s plaid baseball caps became inextricably linked with football hooligan culture.
- Return to growth in China
- Focus on ultra-luxury consumer
- Long-established brand
- Lower margins than rivals
- Brand transformation incomplete
- High management churn
The association between Burberry and antisocial behaviour eventually became so strong that by 2004 pubs had reportedly started barring plaid-clad punters from entry. This did nothing to boost the brand’s luxury standing, with one commentator deeming its trademark check the “ultimate symbol of nouveau riche naff”. Even now, some two decades on, the pattern has not been fully rehabilitated in the eyes of the fashion world.