What is it about Burberry tartan...?

[James Hood]

What is it about the world's undeniably most familiar, prolific, oddly-used, commonly-seen, wildly-pirated, tartan, "Burberry"?

The Mighty and To Be-Feared SWMBO recently looked up a collar for our Scottish Terrier puppy in Burberry tartan as a, "He would look cute in it," until the price tag for same offended her.

Which caused idle pondering here...what is it about Burberry tartan, where it has become globally prolific and SUCH a haute fashion item on handbags, wallets, umbrellas, ladies' skirts, dog collars and coats, shirts, scarves, lining for trenchcoats...?

Yet these eyes do not remember ever seeing a man's kilt or trews in Burberry tartan. Curious?

Thoughts and shared observations are welcome.

[Andrews Son]

It's probably just a catching tartan it's very similar to the Thompson camel tartan.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANDMADE-6-Y...0AAOxyFrNR0Aek

Not yet got the hang of posting pics or links

Yay it worked

[Lady Grey]

Like Gremlins .... Don't get wet ..... It multiplies on dogs.

DaylesfordHighland Gathering Dec 2015 Street Parade

[Tartan Tess]

Nothings screams "Hey" to me. Brown is neutral and highlights blue...

[Steve Ashton]

The Burberry Check aka Haymarket Check is listed as a corporate Tartan, ITI #1239 dated 1927

The Scottish Tartans Authority notes say;
"The first use of the Burberry design was said to have been by an Italian luggage manufacturer (John Bain reported that this came from David Doig - a well known & very knowledgeable man from Scotch House in London.) It has become so much part of the Burberry image that it has been trademarked and can now be regarded as a Corporate tartan. The basic sett remains the same even with official Burberry colour changes. STS thread count slightly different K24, W24, K24, LT84, R8. Sindex notes give 1984 as the date???? The nore widely promuogated origin of the check was this: "The trademark check did not actually make an appearance until the 1920s and then it was simply as a lining to the trenchcoat. "

The design is under full trademark protection to the Burberry Company and its licensees.

Burberry was founded in 1856 by Dressmaker Thomas Burberry.
The fabric Gabardine was invented by Thomas Burberry in 1879.
Burberry specialized in waxed seam, rugged, waterproof outdoor clothing. Roald Amundson outfitted his team in Burberry gabardine for his arctic trip of 1906-7, by Shakleton in the Antarctic in 1914, and George Mallory on Everest in 1927.

In 1912 Burberry introduced their Tielocken coat. This is today known as the classic "Trench Coat" of WWI and "Casablanca" fame. This was not the short raincoat we know today. The Tielocken coat reached down to the lower calf. The Tielocken coat was also used by many mounted police forces including the NW Mounted Police, the forerunner of today's Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the RCMP.

In 1927 King Edward chose the Burberry gabardine greatcoat for his household guard.

In the 1930's the lining of many Burberry products was changed from a solid colored brushed worsted wool to the same fabric woven in the Burberry check.

The Burberry check (What we know as the Burberry Tartan) became famous as an expensive designer icon like the stripes of Gucci. It found a cult fashion following in the 1970's and 80's in London. You just were not anybody unless you were sporting a scarf or other accessory made with the Burberry Check. It became so sought after that many less expensive imitators began to appear. Most notably the Thompson Camel Tartan which was designed in 1960. At the Royal BC Museum here in Victoria where I am a Docent I often see tourists wearing a Thompson Camel Scarf that they are convinced is Burberry.
The Thompson Camel Tartan resembles the Burberry except for;
The Thompson has four black lines. Two wider and two narrower
The Burberry has three black lines. All equal width and equally spaced.

The Burberry Check is under full trademark protection by Burberry and its licensees. I have never seen a kilt in Burberry and I do not think it is often woven in the heavy weight fabrics with kilt selvedge that we associate with kilt fabrics. Even if it was, you would have to buy the kilt from Burberry and they do not have a kilt listed in their catalogs.

[The Q]

It has nothing to do with it being tartan, but everything to do with the Burberry name. Purely an easy to copy material, that those daft enough to be interested in fashion will spend money on, like buying sweat shirts with the name of the manufacturer emblazoned on them.

[terry m]

Back in the 1980s when I was a Police officer Burberry, and Burberry hats in particular were a commonly worn item by a certain (not all ) section of young men and women of the more trouble making variety who wore it as a kind of uniform or advert that they were looking for trouble. A bit like hoodies nowadays can be associated with the same thing.

[James Hood]

Steve, thank you for the detailed explanation!

Burberry products (and several rather close knockoffs) are fairly common in mega-metro Chicago, as to be expected with this size population.

Interesting to know, no male kilts or trews in the catalogue, though ladies' kilted skirts are in internet "images."

About 25 years ago, a Polish manufacturer made trenchcoats (rather nice material and construction) with a similar / slightly different tartan (thread count / pattern) lining; they were colloquially known as "Burberr-skis" and prolific-ish in this area, sold in independent men's stores.