<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/Burberry-logo.jpg>
Well, sort of. But Burberry did make their mark on the world first, as an outdoorsy company, unlike the high fashion icon today, for which it is renowned. I’m a big fan of the traditional nova-check. I have one scarf and plan on getting a matching Burberry trench, a quilted jacket, maybe some wellies, the fragrant eau de parfums, and the coveted purses that many of us ladies adore. I just can’t help but remark how Burberry has changed drastically from a rugged brand to an haute couture house.
Back in the day, Burberry was more like a tougher, more rugged brand that many of us are familiar with today. Brands like North Face, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Marmot, Eddie Bauer, etc. They still like their image as being outdoor loving, but frankly I don’t want to go camping in a Burberry jacket. Yet, that’s exactly what Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer who was the first recorded to make it to the South Pole, did. He did it all in Burberry.
One may ask, how did this explorer stay warm. The answer lies in Burberry’s warm yet water-resistant gabardine (a sweater-like coat). As early as 1880, Burberry water resisted their yarn before it was weaved into the “hard-enough” shell that it would become. Wearers of the gabardine found it warm, it kept them dry enough, and it actually breathed! Sure, it didn’t have any of the fancy zippers but this kind of technology for the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s was quite innovative. I’m sure it did more than an adequate job of keeping Captain Amundsen’s spirits up as he trekked out to the center of Antarctica (a place where I shall go one of these days!).
Burberry also lent a hand in supplying their famous “trench coats” to the troops during The Great War. After that, the popularity of the trench coats took off and Burberry became the fashion house that we now know. From climbing Mount Everest, trekking the North Pole, and the South Pole, Burberry was the reliable hard shell of the era. And today, it is the quintessential piece in a country gentleman’s and country lady’s wardrobes. Maybe the next time I browse the Burberry selection at Neiman Marcus, I’ll just sit and ask myself this question, WWRAW…..What would Roald Amundsen wear?
From this site: <http://www.pbase.com/image/83110369>