Over the recent years Burberry have become renowned for their high budget Christmas campaigns, encompassing some of the biggest names in fashion and Hollywood. This year it appears that they have stepped it up even further, however, in what may be their best effort yet….and well…their biggest budget (£10m).
The three minute clip features actors Domhnall Gleeson, Sienna Miller, Lily James and Dominic West in a beautifully told ‘Tale of Thomas Burberry’. The story depicts the launch of his business, as well as events in the brand’s history such as the discovery of the waterproof fabric, gabardine, which is used for the brand’s iconic trench coat, dressing the military, and outfitting polar explorers and pilots.
Directed by Asif Kapadia, who won an Oscar for his documentary Amy earlier this year, the moving short film could be mistaken for a trailer for the latest blockbuster to hit the silver screen, thanks to the flawless acting and cinematography.
Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson takes on the lead role of Burberry founder Thomas Burberry, alongside long term brand advocate Sienna Miller as his fictional wife, Dominic West as pioneering polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, and Lily James as pilot Betty Dawson, inspired by the real life achievements of Betty Kirby- Green.
Speaking about the campaign, Burberry’s chief executive officer Christopher Bailey said:
“This Christmas, as we celebrate our 160th anniversary we wanted to tell the story of Thomas Burberry – pioneer, inventor, innovator, and the man behind the iconic trench coat – in our own words,” he said. “The film we have made is a brief glimpse inspired by his full and extraordinary life, which threaded its way through the history of the twentieth century in all its tumultuous highs and lows.”
