A Very British Occasion: Burberry Go Above And Beyond For Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Luxury heritage brand Burberry have always embraced their British roots, reinterpreting what Britishness means over the years, from Christopher Bailey's final S/S 18 collection dedicated to all things Pride, to current chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci's take on the staple Burberry check to reimagine British class systems in a campaign with Nick Knight. Their absence from the London Fashion Week schedule in recent years has been seen as detrimental for pulling in foreign press for the twice-yearly event, highlighting their weighty standing in the indusry. Whilst Paris has Christian Dior and Chanel, and Milan has Fendi and Gucci, London has Burberry. 'For me, Britishness is an attitude, a strength, a confidence and a freedom', the house's current chief creative officer, Riccardo Tisci, told Vogue in 2019.

And so, with that - Royalist or not - this summer will go down in the history books as one to remember with Burberry's plans to mark the Queen's Jubilee. The UK will enjoy a four-day weekend, and Burberry will stage a series landmark festivities paying tribute to our Queenie (that's Her Royal Highness to you) this month. From flooding the moat of the Tower of London with a spectacular array of flowers to a beautifully-designed commemorative scarf inspired by the very nation Burberry is anchored to, here are all the ways the iconic British heritage brand is honouring the monarchy.

SUPERBLOOM

Bringing natural beauty to the concrete jungle of London, Burberry have teamed up with the Historical Royal Palaces for Superbloom, a unique installation that sees the luxury house launch a floating meadow by the Tower of London, indulging the very British location in natural beauty. From afar, visitors will be able to see that the flowers are contained in plastic casing to spell out 'Burberry', yet up close, you'll feel like you're in a summer meadow. Presented as a zero-waste installation, its short life-span highlights the paramount importance of biodiversity to the world and Burberry's commitment to protecting, restoring and regenerating nature. The casing that spells out Burberry - containing some 5000 plants - is made entirely out of drudged up materials like plastic bottles and netting from the Thames. The flowers it holds will also then be donated to schools and gardens afterwards, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

In addition to the floral spectacle, digital artist and SHOWstudio's previous digital art director, Jon Emmony, will also present a utopian vision inspired by the power of Superbloom and the dynamism of animals and pollinators of British woodlands, made possible through a technological lens where the help of CGI and AI will create a mixed reality effect with a Burberry Art Wall at the Tower of London. (Open to the public from June to 18 September).

'Using animal characters...and the impossible expanse of the Superbloom’s undulating surface, the artwork infuses a sense of magic and new possibility through a technological lens, to express a utopian vision of nature triumph. CGI creative extends the theme of the art wall concept layering on a fantastical digital element to the capture of artwork for a mixed reality effect. Using AI technology we will turn the real surroundings into glimpses of British meadows —dreamlike and painterly. It’s designed to encourage a new generation of creatives to explore the future of our natural world with limitless imagination', Burberry explain.

'A MESSAGE TO THE QUEEN'

While teaming up with the National Literacy Trust and a primary school in Leeds, Burberry asked 20 children in years three and four to write a message (and a small doodle) in dedication to the Queen for her Jubilee weekend. In November, the Leeds-based school in question was part of Burberry's charitable initiative with footballer (and national hero) Marcus Rashford & the NLT to provide funding to transform school libraries across the UK to help disadvantaged children develop literacy skills. Each child's thoughtful message will dress 80 bus stops across London from 23 May to the Jubilee weekend in June.

COMMEMORATIVE SCARF

So, the house have made clear they're celebrating through partaking in different projects, but what about fashion? Hold that thought, as Burberry are also releasing a limited edition silk scarf - something old Queenie always wears on a countryside getaway. In-keeping with the label's appreciation for flora, fauna, and an array of wildlife, the silk scarf pays homage to ancient British woodlands and the United Kingdom's four nations. Moreover, each nation is represented by a native bird hidden in each corner of the silk cloth; a robin for England, a Capercaillie for Scotland, a Sparrowhawk for Northern Ireland and a Golden Eagle for Wales.

You can shop the scarf at Harrods, Burberry and Burberry.com now.