It was a small group of statistics buried in Burberry’s 200-page annual report that caused all the outrage. But while the numbers referenced with the line “finished goods physically destroyed during the year” were just business as usual for the fashion industry, to everybody else it was US$35.6 million (Dh130.7m) worth of luxury products going up in smoke. In revealing that it burns unsold clothes and cosmetics to prevent the brand from entering the “grey market” – where items are sold at knockdown prices from unofficial retailers – Burberry does offer a caveat.
The brand says that it disposes of items in an environmentally friendly manner, harnessing the energy from it during the process. It was an explanation that did little to douse the flames rising on social media, digital ire combining furiously with pithy hashtags (#Burnberry, anyone?).
How has Burberry done the fashion industry a favour?
But perhaps the British heritage brand has inadvertently done the fashion world something of a favour. Through its overt transparency, a multibillion-dollar industry that has long been riddled with bad practice and waste, could finally be required to account for its actions.
“The fact that Burberry destroys stock is not a surprising revelation for those with knowledge of the industry,” explains Sass Brown, dean of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation. “This has been a long-time practice to ensure the exclusivity of product.”
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