The Burberry logo has undergone one of the most discussed rebrandings in recent luxury fashion history, moving from a classical serif wordmark to a stripped-down sans-serif in 2018, then back to a modernized serif with the Equestrian Knight in 2023.
The current logo bridges heritage and modernity. The serif wordmark communicates tradition, quality, and British establishment, while the Equestrian Knight, depicting a mounted knight carrying a shield and lance, represents chivalry, protection, and British heritage. The word “Prorsum” (Latin for “forward”) on the knight’s banner communicates ambition and progress. The 2018-2023 period saw a bold sans-serif logotype by Peter Saville that was deliberately modern and anti-heritage, but the 2023 reversal under creative director Daniel Lee acknowledged that Burberry’s heritage was a competitive advantage.
The nova check pattern, though not part of the logo, functions as a secondary brand identifier as powerful as any symbol. The camel, red, black, and white check is one of the most recognized textile patterns in fashion.
Meaning and Symbolism
- Equestrian Knight: The mounted knight has been part of Burberry’s identity since 1901. The knight represents chivalry, protection, and British heritage. The “Prorsum” motto communicates ambition and progress.
- Serif wordmark (current): The 2023 return to serif letterforms reconnects the brand to its 19th-century English origins, communicating tradition and quality in a way the 2018 sans-serif could not.
- Sans-serif wordmark (2018-2023): Peter Saville’s stripped-down logotype was deliberately modern and generic, intended to signal a break from fusty associations but ultimately lost the distinctiveness that separated Burberry from other luxury brands.
- Nova check pattern: The camel, red, black, and white check has appeared on coat linings since the 1920s and functions as a brand identifier independent of the logo.
Design and History
Thomas Burberry was 21 years old when he opened his first outerwear shop in Basingstoke in 1856. His contribution to fashion history is gabardine, a breathable, weatherproof fabric he invented in 1879 by waterproofing yarn before weaving rather than after. Gabardine was lighter and more comfortable than rubberized rainwear, making Burberry the outfitter of choice for explorers, soldiers, and anyone spending time outdoors in British weather.
The Equestrian Knight arrived in 1901 when British brands were formalizing their visual identities. The knight in armor was natural for a company supplying the military and positioned within British outdoor culture. The “Prorsum” motto gave the emblem Latin gravitas connecting Burberry to classical education. The nova check appeared on coat linings beginning in the 1920s and became a visible fashion element in the 1960s.
The 2018 rebrand under Riccardo Tisci was the most dramatic visual change in Burberry’s history. Peter Saville replaced the serif wordmark and Equestrian Knight with clean, tightly spaced sans-serif resembling wordmarks that dozens of other fashion brands were adopting. The “TB” monogram added a new pattern element. The rebrand was polarizing: design critics noted it erased the distinctiveness that made Burberry recognizable.
Daniel Lee’s 2023 reversal was a correction. The return to a serif wordmark and the Equestrian Knight acknowledged that Burberry’s heritage, its Britishness, its gabardine, its check, its knight, was the brand’s competitive advantage. The new identity is not a reproduction of the old one but a modernized version that takes heritage seriously while presenting it in a contemporary context.
Typography
The current Burberry wordmark uses a refined serif typeface with moderate stroke contrast and classical proportions. The letterforms have an English quality that distinguishes them from French Didone serifs used by Parisian luxury houses. The 2018-2023 sans-serif logotype by Peter Saville used a geometric, monoweight typeface with tight tracking characteristic of the “blanding” trend in fashion branding during that period. For broader communications, Burberry uses a type system that complements the serif wordmark’s balance of heritage and modernity.
FAQ
Q: Why did Burberry change its logo in 2018?
A: Creative director Riccardo Tisci and designer Peter Saville replaced the serif wordmark and Equestrian Knight with a sans-serif logotype to reposition Burberry as a modern, streetwear-influenced luxury brand.
Q: Why did Burberry change its logo again in 2023?
A: Under creative director Daniel Lee, Burberry reintroduced a serif wordmark and modernized Equestrian Knight, acknowledging that the brand’s British heritage was a competitive advantage rather than something to minimize.
Q: What does “Prorsum” mean on the Burberry knight?
A: “Prorsum” is Latin for “forward.” It appears on the banner carried by the Equestrian Knight and communicates ambition and progress.
