It’s Always Burberry Weather

From the tenches of World War One to High Street Fashion, Burberry’s heritage apparel continues to mesmerise the world. When it comes to timeless outerwear, Vogue magazine claims that Burberry’s trench coat doesn’t set the bar; it is the bar.

Directed by Academy Award, BAFTA, and Grammy-winning British filmmaker, Asif Kapadia, the film functions as a sweeping, Hollywood-style trailer that reimagines the foundational events and historical milestones, of the fashion house’s pioneering inventor and creator, Thomas Burberry.

The film-script was penned by acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright Matt Charman, who masterly condensed 160 years of complex brand history into a tight, emotionally gripping three-minute narrative.

The impressive cast of real and fictionalised characters, features Domhnall Gleeson as Thomas Burberry, Dominic West as the intrepid polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and Lily James as pilot Betty Dawson, in a fictional role inspired by the real-life exploits of pioneering aviator, Betty Kirby-Green.

In a two-seat, twin-engined de Havilland DH.88 Comet, named “The Burberry”, Betty Kirby-Green and her co-pilot, Arthur Clouston in 1937, flew from Croydon, London, to Cape Town, South Africa, in a record breaking time of 45 hours.

During the the early 20th century’s pioneering decades of flight, the Burberry company sponsored and outfitted several aviators, as well as explorers such as Sir Ernest Shackleton in his gruelling Antarctic expeditions, and Thomas Burberry’s quintessential Gaberdine Trench Coats, became the mainstay of British military officers during World War I.

Named after a type of long, cape-like dress worn during the Middle Ages, Thomas Burberry in 1888 patented his breathable, water-resistant Gaberdine fabric, made with tightly woven wool, that gave rise to the famed “Burberry Trench Coat”, one of today’s most recognisable garments of classic style and effortless refinement.

Playing out to a soundtrack of “Celebration” by composer and clarinetist Guillaume Humery, the 2023, superbly produced, mould-breaking, fashion-genre commercial, stars professional parkour athlete Josh Burnett-Blake, and dancers Alanna Archibald, and Nonoka Kato, in a stellar choreographed adventure into the unknown.

The cinematic dramatisation of their encounters with night creatures in the streets of London, makes for entertainingly impressive viewing.

Reaching the white cliffs Dover in celebration of freedom, nature, and the strength of human connection, they are drawn together in a unified human entity, floating gracefully over the sea at sunset, to an atmospheric, immersive soundtrack, composed by American composer and producer, Son Lux, founder of the experimental trio Son Lux.

Filmed on location in London’s Petticoat Lane, the festive 2020 Burberry film-scenario, brought to life by the MEGAFORCE filmmaking collective of Leo Berne, Clement Gallet, Charles Brisgand and Raphaël Rodriguez, stars dancers Chantel Foo, Kevin Bago, Robinson Cassarino and Zhané Samuels, in a superbly choreographed performance, to a soundtrack featuring vocals by British artist Dreya Mac, in a ‘cool’ remix of Gene Kelly’s famous “Singing in the Rain”, with musical accompaniment by arrangers and composers Jonty Howard and Joe Murphy, in Hertfordshire.

Riccardo Tisci, Burberry’s chief creative officer, outlined the motivational concept behind the celebratory dance routine of metaphoric bravery and fortitude in overcoming life’s obstacles:

“It’s all about that fearless spirit and imagination when pushing boundaries, something that we hold so close to our hearts at Burberry”.

Christopher Bailey, describes ‘Billy Elliot the Musical’ as being full of so much joy and energy, that it was a real thrill and a great honour to be able to celebrate the film’s 15 year anniversary through Burberry’s 2015 festive campaign.

Produced by Burberry’s internal creative studio and camera department teams, the festive commercial opens with Romeo Beckham jumping on a bed, before other celebrity faces are introduced one by one, flying in mid-air dressed in signature Burberry trench coats and cashmere scarves, to a soundtrack of “Cosmic Dancer” by English rock band  T. Rex.

The all-British cast includes: Rosie Huntingon-Whiteley, Naomi Campbell, James Corden, George Ezra, James Bay, Michelle Dockery, Toby Huntington-Whiteley, Julie Walters who starred as Billy’s dance teacher in the film, and Sir Elton John, the composer of film’s music score.