A brief overview
Celebrating Two Fashion Icons
On August 27, the fashion industry stopped to commemorate the birthdays of two spectacular giants in fashion: Thomas Burberry the founder of the famed British house and Tom Ford, the American designer who is credited with being responsible for the modern luxury sector of fashion. Burberry and Ford were born more than a century apart, but their legacies in fashion are still relevant today.
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Thomas Burberry’s Lasting Influence
Born in 1835, Thomas Burberry changed outerwear with his invention of gabardine, a breathable, waterproof fabric, which formed the foundation for the trench coat. The Burberry DNA was formed on Burberry’s vision of building clothes that were both functional and elegant. Today, Burberry’s DNA is being revitalized by its creative director, Daniel Lee, who returned to its heritage check patterns and launched bold collections during London Fashion Week that demonstrated Burberry’s DNA can still be stitched into every piece produced.
Tom Ford’s Impact on Modern Luxury
Born in 1961, Tom Ford became a household name in the 1990s after taking the helm of Gucci and making it one of the world’s hottest luxury fashion brands. He later launched his own line – Tom Ford – and became just as famous for his polished tailoring, sexy glamor, and no apologies confidence. In 2022, he sold his brand to Estée Lauder for a landmark $2.8 billion, meaning he can be considered a designer-business as well. He’s now milling and focusing on personal other projects and his brand as a whole has only grown in influence beyond fashion.
What connects Burberry and Ford besides their wonderful fashion businesses is how they both marry creative expression with cultural relevance. Burberry paved the way for practical elegance in the 19th century and Ford redefined luxury in the late 20th and early 21st century. The two affirm how individual visionaries can change entire industries together through their Virgo birthdays.
Fashion Goes On
Although Burberry will continue to evolve under new leadership and Ford will continue to explore life, both will retain the ability to reinvent themselves in unique ways. Their stories are a celebration of how fashion can connect history and modernity, and fundamentally showcase why authentic style knows no time.
