A Burberry trench coat used in the Reimagining Materials student design competition at LCF. Image credit: Burberry British fashion house Burberry is making good on its 170th anniversary by training the next generation of designers.
The label has named Aamna Yasin, a BA pattern-cutting student at the London College of Fashion at University of the Arts London, the top recipient of its second annual Reimagining Materials program. Run with the school as a sustainability and circular-design partnership, the brief asked participants to reinterpret the trench coat and car coat, two of Burberry's house codes, in honor of the brand's 170th year.
"Our Reimagining Material competition celebrates the imagination, creativity, and technical skill of young talent today," said Joshua Schulman, chief executive officer of Burberry, in a statement.
"By reimagining our most iconic silhouette, the Burberry Trench Coat, each student brought a fresh perspective to circular design and a real appreciation for craft," Mr. Schulman said. "Their work reflects the exceptional talent emerging across London and the UK, and we're proud to support the next generation shaping the future of our industry."
Trench, reimagined
This year's challenge centered on Burberry's heritage outerwear, the trench and car coats.
Twenty shortlisted students received a Burberry Heritage Trench Coat or Car Coat plus surplus materials. The group refined their prototypes through review sessions with the brand's product, design and merchandising teams.
Ten finalists ultimately took the stage at Burberry's London headquarters for an evening exhibition attended by industry guests. The judging panel included Mr. Schulman, chief marketing officer Jonathan Kiman; chief product merchandising and planning officer Paul Price; and guest judge Erin O'Connor.
Yasin's win comes with a cash prize and an internship on Burberry's design team later this year.
The competition runs alongside Burberry's other early-career programmes, including partnerships with the National Saturday Club, The BRIT School and a scholarship at Central Saint Martins (see story).