Burberry, a British luxury institution, has faced challenges, particularly in China, where its market strategy and price hikes didnโt deliver the expected results. The brandโs recent focus on high-end pricing has led to an identity crisis. As the industry continues to shift, Burberry is shifting its focus away from being overly dependent on a creative director and instead aiming for a more timeless and balanced approach to product and marketing. With Joshua Schulman, the new CEO, bringing experience from his time at Coach, a more commercially-focused strategy seems to be in play, concentrating on outerwear and scarves at more controlled price points.
For years, the industry has seen a trend where designers became synonymous with the brandโthink of Tom Ford for Gucci or Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme. This shift placed immense pressure on individuals to continuously define the creative direction. While the public often associates brands with these figures, most luxury consumers may not even know or care about the designer behind the collections. What matters is the product, and the collective effort of a creative team is often more impactful than focusing on one person.
As Burberry adjusts its approach to heritage-driven marketing and a more relatable image, it will look to brands like Coach, whose success is rooted in reliable product at affordable price points. Even though Stuart Vevers has been the creative director since 2013, Coach’s commercial success is a result of consistently delivering quality goods rather than relying on a famous designerโs name.
Brands like Coach and Bally, which have made strategic decisions to emphasise commercial reliability, offer insights into the way forward. For example, Ballyโs shift towards more affordable options signals a broader industry trend, where luxury brands focus on sustainability and maintaining a steady market presence rather than chasing fleeting trends.
Affordable luxury brands like Mulberry and Kate Spade have already shown that strong products for the right demographic can succeed without a household-name creative director. Burberryโs decision to refocus on classic pieces like outerwear and its heritage scarves is indicative of the need to return to brand as the core of a fashion houseโs identity.
In 2025, fashion brands are realising that the value of their identity and product should outweigh the focus on individual creative directors. While talent will always be important, the business model for many luxury brands is now shifting away from a reliance on designer egos and towards a stronger emphasis on consistent, commercially viable offerings.
The shift in focus is timely, and with the challenges faced by the fashion industry, it seems that 2025 might be the year where brands take a step back from individual fame and instead double down on what truly matters: their identity and product.
