I remember exactly where I was when I got my first Burberry scarf.
It was a gift from my mom (over a decade ago!), and I’ve worn it every winter since. The classic camel check. The kind of thing that never goes out of style.
It felt like a rite of passage.
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I’m not sure I even understood the full weight of the brand at the time. But I knew it mattered. Burberry was the kind of luxury that felt earned, even if I hadn’t earned it myself.
It felt timeless. Important. A piece of something bigger.
I still have that scarf.
It’s soft and worn in all the right ways now. And every year when I pull it out of my closet, I’m reminded not just of the gift, but of the brand itself. The heritage. The tradition. The emotion.
Not every brand has that kind of staying power, which is why I’m always paying attention when something shifts.
And based on Burberry’s latest earnings, something definitely has.
Burberry sales drop again in Q1 results
Burberry reported a 6% drop in retail revenue for Q1, with comparable store sales down 1%.
That might not sound catastrophic…but it follows a 21% drop last quarter. And despite the company’s upbeat tone, key markets like Greater China (-5%) and Japan (-10%) are still slipping.
On the surface, there are signs of life. The U.S. posted 4% growth, EMEIA was up 1%, and the company pointed to a sharp increase in brand desirability, saying more people are responding to its campaigns.
But that doesn’t mean they’re buying.
Burberry has been working hard to modernize. It launched its Autumn 2025 collection, introduced monthly themed campaigns, and even piloted scarf bars in stores.
Executives say sell-through is improving and partners are gaining confidence. But the numbers just aren’t there yet.
CEO Joshua Schulman called this a “strategic step” and highlighted early momentum, but acknowledged macro pressure, weak tourist traffic, and foreign exchange headwinds.
Right now, that optimism feels more like a bet than a guarantee.
Can Burberry reconnect with today’s luxury customer?
Burberry’s long-term play seems clear: blend its British heritage with modern energy, and hope shoppers show up.
The brand is chasing Gen Z with K-pop ambassadors and influencer-driven campaigns while still trying to preserve the elegance that made its outerwear iconic. The new strategy wants to be everything to everyone.
That’s a tough line to walk.
Luxury shoppers are changing. So are their expectations. Burberry is investing in content, rebalancing pricing, even rethinking wholesale relationships.
But as the Q1 results show, there’s still a disconnect between the brand Burberry wants to be and what customers are actually spending on.
The scarf I got years ago didn’t need a campaign or a collection drop to feel special. It just was.
If Burberry can tap into that again – the permanence, the sense of story – maybe the comeback will stick.
Based on the numbers, they’re not there yet. Still, I’m on Team Burberry…and I’m hopeful they’ll get there.
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This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 6:37 PM.
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