Olivia Colman revives iconic look as Burberry glories in its past

What does a legendary luxury fashion brand do when profits are down and the future looks uncertain? Return to its core brand, focus on what it does best and remind people that they were the first.

If it can, it re-establishes its style credentials with some reference to its glorious past and icons who have worn it. 

And if that brand is Burberry, renowned for its British heritage classics, then there’s only one icon who will do: Queen Elizabeth II.

Burberry’s recent financial reports show profits have slumped by 40 per cent in the past 12 months and the retailer warned of a challenging year ahead, with ousted chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd citing a slowing luxury demand amongst consumers for the brand’s sales slump.

But their new campaign might just make the difference to this Autumn’s sales. It features - among other images - a fresh-faced, relaxed and smiling Olivia Colman, wearing a £1090 quilted corduroy collared jacket and a Burberry check button-down shirt, standing in front of a Range Rover with a flock of sheep in the foreground. 

The references to our late Queen, off duty and in her element, are unmistakable. Colman, of course, played Elizabeth in seasons three and four of The Crown and this is Burberry reminding the world that they are one of the oldest established British luxury brands, still serving up heritage country style for a younger generation.

This season the collections were full of trench coats (Burberry’s trench is the internationally recognised original) and wax jackets, quilted coats and gilets, rubber wellington boots - all the great British outdoors big hitters.

If there’s a time to capitalise on these classics it is now when they’re riding high in the fashion charts and worn by the likes of Liam Gallagher’s son Lennon.

Other faces of the new campaign include Saltburn actor Barry Keoghan, footballer Cole Palmer, model and actress Cara Delevingne and rapper Little Simz.

But the images that could hold the key to turning Burberry’s fortunes around are the ones that look like they might have been shot at Balmoral on an early Autumn day.

The Queen would certainly have worn a headscarf and carried a stick, and the Range Rover would have been Epsom green not teal, but this is 2024 after all.