Burberry steps into activewear for first time

Burberry’s successful bounceback so far has been all about it focusing on categories that are core to it — such as outerwear and scarves. But now it has launched into an area that’s very new for it, but one that’s undeniably big at present.

It has unveiled Burberry Activewear, a new “lifestyle collection” but in line with the core principle of its recovery strategy, it’s “rooted in the house’s heritage of outdoor and sports clothing”.

The company talked about its founder’s links with sports clothing but this is still its first step into the activewear segment in the modern sense of the word and underlines the importance of performance active pieces to today’s consumers and also the appeal of athleisure to consumers who never go near a gym or a track.

The collection is made from soft, lightweight materials that feature breathable details and to make this not just yet another activewear offer, of course, each piece is trimmed with the Burberry Check. They’re also finished with a reflective Burberry Knight, screen-printed with a gradient effect, “as if in motion”.

Individual items include sporty staples and lightweight layers, from training tops, jogging pants and leggings to hooded jackets and gilets, in a palette of classic Burberry colours including black, beige, carbon grey and Knight blue.

The launch come shot on the heels of Burberry’s latest swim offer that focuses on material innovation in a collaboration with Hunza G. It features plenty of Hunza G codes mixed with Burberry’s now as well as a new seahorse motif that reimagines the Burberry Knight for the underwater world.