LONDON — Burberry has formalized its partnership with Leeds Beckett University and its BA (Hons) Fashion Design course, part of the brand’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent and supporting the future of British design.
The partnership follows a pilot program launched in 2024, and furthers a growing relationship between Burberry and Leeds Beckett, creating opportunities for students to gain industry insight and develop the skills needed to thrive in the creative sector.
Their partnership is rooted in a shared connection to Yorkshire. Burberry has an office in Leeds and manufacturing sites in Keighley, where it weaves gabardine, and Castleford, where it makes heritage trenchcoats.
As part of LBU’s flagship tailoring project, second-year students undertook a live industry brief called “Reinventing the Trench: A Study in Craft and Form.”
They were challenged to redesign and construct the Burberry trenchcoat using surplus gabardine, the fabric invented by Thomas Burberry in 1879. The project followed Burberry’s Portraits of an Icon trench campaign, which broke in March, and marked the brand’s 170th anniversary.
Kendall Jenner and Little Simz in Burberry’s Portraits of an Icon anniversary campaign, focusing on the trench.
Courtesy of Burberry/Tim Walker
The students presented their trenchcoat designs at Burberry’s Castleford manufacturing site. The designs were judged by Burberry colleagues, with the Judges’ Choice award presented to Juliet Skaife for The Jetty Trench, a reimagining of the Burberry heritage trenchcoat inspired by silhouettes of the 1970s.
The People’s Choice award was given to Riyna Khan for The ReVe Brontë trench, an exploration of 19th-century women’s fashion centered around the Brontë sisters. Both winners will undertake work experience at Burberry’s Castleford site, gaining hands-on insight into the design and production process behind the British house’s heritage trench.
For final-year students, the partnership focused more on professional guidance and mentorship of their graduate collections. In May, students’ final garments and portfolios were judged by colleagues from Burberry’s manufacturing teams and showcased at Leeds Beckett University’s City Campus Fashion Studio.
Final-year projects from the students at Leeds Beckett University.
Exceptional work was recognized through the Burberry Award, which was presented to April Charlesworth, which included an embroidered gabardine certificate and a paid internship at Burberry’s Castleford manufacturing site.
Sam Hudson-Miles, course director for BA (Hons) Fashion Design at Leeds Beckett University said by responding to a live brief inspired by the Burberry trenchcoat, “students are challenged to develop their own design voice while gaining insight into the craftsmanship, heritage and innovation that underpin the fashion industry.”
Alexandra McCauley, Burberry’s chief people officer, added, “Yorkshire has long been an important part of Burberry’s story, and we are proud to support the next generation of creative talent in the region. By investing in local talent today, we are helping to strengthen the future of British craftsmanship, manufacturing and creativity for years to come.”
