Burberry

In 1856, a young draper's apprentice by the name of Thomas Burberry decided to take a shot at running his own business. He founded a clothing outlet in Hampshire, England and stuck to developing attire meant for outdoor wear. His business was brisk, and he was able to experiment with fabric making. In 1880, he developed something called gabardine, a unique waterproof yarn.After taking out a patent on gabardine and opening up a bigger shop in the Haymarket district of London, Burberry gained national recognition. In the beginning of 20th century, Britain's war office contracted Burberry to create uniforms for the armed forces. The company also designed outfits for famous British explorers, such as Ernst Shackleton and Roald Amundsen, who voyaged to the South Pole and Antarctica.Following the end of World War I, Burberry continued to market its trench coats to civilians. This trench coat look was popularized by movie stars such as Peter Sellers, Audrey Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart. The Nova check pattern included in the lining of these trench coats soon became a signature icon in its own right, and Burberry began adorning scarves, accessories, and luggage with this Nova check.After lagging sales in 1980s and 1990s, Burberry revitalized by appealing to football fans, hip-hop singers, and celebrities like David Beckham. A change of management in 1997 led to reordering of the company's priorities. Today, Burberry continues to define distinctive English style and runs a catalog and a very successful line of fragrances.