06-05-2025
Watch: How Burberry's check survived fashion's biggest identity crisis
When Burberry's iconic check first appeared as a humble trench coat lining, no one could have predicted it would become both a symbol of British luxury and a lightning rod for controversy. From royal approval to football terraces, the pattern has been loved, loathed and reinvented — mirroring the highs and lows of British fashion itself.
How did a simple plaid survive scandal, class snobbery and overexposure to become streetwear gold once again? In this Style Stories episode, the Sunday Times fashion director, Karen Dacre, reveals how Burberry's most famous motif went from fashion faux pas to cult classic.
