Since he took over as chief creative officer of Burberry in 2018, designer Riccardo Tisci has brought his dark, sophisticated glamour to the brand. 

Though fashion has (slightly) slowed down over the past year, the brand has put pedal to the metal, teaming up with Marcus Rashford to support youth charities around the UK, donating unused fabric to fashion students, as well as fighting the coronavirus pandemic by creating PPE for the NHS and donating to vaccine research that resulted in the now-vital Oxford AstraZeneca jab. 

The brand has now unveiled its latest project, a new flagship store opening in London that brings Tisci’s vision for the house to life. “Our new flagship store at No.1 Sloane Street is a manifestation of all that is Burberry: authentic, bold, elevated, with creativity at its core,” says Marco Gobbetti, Burberry’s chief executive officer. “An iconic destination in the heart of Knightsbridge, London, it is the first to carry our new global store concept, providing a uniquely British luxury setting for our local and international customers to explore our brand and products. We’re excited to welcome our customers to this new home for our brand that connects our past, present and future.”

To coincide with its official opening, we tell you everything you need to know about the sophisticated space to get you out of your house and make a trip. 

THE STORE PAYS HOMAGE TO THE BRAND’S CODES 

Designed in collaboration with Italian architect Vincenzo De Cotiis, the new flagship was created with the vision of timelessness and the house’s codes in mind. “This is a story about a home, Burberry’s new home,” he says. “We wanted to create a domestic shell, a home where art, culture and people move through intelligent and elegant modernity. The place as a portrait.” The iconic check is subtly reimagined as mirrored lighting grids on the ceiling and  black-and-white chequered floors, while a tonal beige carpet perfectly matches its signature colour. Juxtaposing classic and modern elements, the plinths displaying the store’s wares change from brutalist concrete to ceramic and sleek high-gloss.

THE LOCATION IS A CONNECTION TO THE BRAND’S HISTORY

The store’s location – Sloane Street – was no accident and was chosen to link back to Thomas Burberry, the house’s founder, who opened his first store in the same area almost 130 years ago. The brand’s HQ also has the fabled SW1 postcode. More than just a retail space, the slick Sloane Street store (try saying that 20 times in a row) is a way for the brand to reconnect to its roots in the present, while looking ahead to what the future holds. 

THE ICONIC TRENCH IS FRONT AND CENTRE 

A signature of the brand, it makes sense that the trench coat has been given its own dedicated area within the store. Displayed within suspended light tubes and sleek sliding panels, it’s almost like a fancy fashion shrine. Fans of the coat have been worshipping at its altar since it was created by Thomas Burberry back in 1879 (yes, really) so why not give it the attention it deserves. 

THERE’S SOMETHING IN-STORE FOR EVERYONE

With entire floors dedicated to womenswear, menswear, and accessories, everywhere you turn there are mouthwatering must-haves from the TB and Olympia bags to looks from Tisci’s ready-to-wear collections and the Future Heritage Label. Don’t know where to begin? The store offers private consultations for shopping experiences with ease and should you need a rest, simply perch on one of the sculptural seats specially created to make the environment as welcoming and relaxing as possible. 

THERE’S A LOT MORE TO COME

While the Sloane Street store is the first flagship with the global design, this is only the beginning for the brand visually and marks a new chapter. Three more stores are set to open across the globe later this year in Shanghai, Paris, and just down the road from this one on Bond Street. The plan by the end of the year is to have refurbished half of its stores around the world. As travel is slowly returning to our lives, why not take a chic grand tour of them all? 

Burberry’s London flagship is open now at 1 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9LA. Monday-Saturday 10am - 7pm, Sunday 12pm - 6pm.