Burberry Extends Its Brand By Networking, Socially

Photographer/blogger The Sartorialist (real name: Scott Schuman) may have tried to keep the project secret (well, FT -- and we -- reported this in September). But Burberry's “Art of the Trench” has finally launched, leaving other fashion-related social networking sites shaking in their well-made boots.

Aptly named, CEO Angela Ahrendts explained that the website focuses on the brand's signature coats, initially offering a library of photos of different people in coats.

“It’s our differentiator,” Ms. Ahrendts said. “It’s not so different from what competitors do. Maybe one was born from shoes and another from luggage; we come from a coat. It’s our job to keep that category hot and cool and relevant for all ages.”

Interested parties may sign up to leave comments about ones you like or dislike. People can be searched by gender, style, coat color, and, even more useful, you can sort the pictures by weather, to view the trenches in their natural habitat.

But how will we benefit from this application? It will squelch our boredom and give us yet another thing to do on the Internet, of course.

Ms. Ahrendts said she is proud that Burberry has more than 699,000 Facebook fans. The company, founded as a maker of outdoor wear in 1856 by the British draper’s apprentice, Thomas Burberry, is also attracting customers via Twitter and Youtube.

Burberry commissioned photographers to shoot fashion and street-style portraits of its coats, starting with Schuman's photos. Members can also submit photos of themselves in a Burberry trench with the chance that it may put you on the main page. The brand hopes that users will create profiles and upload photos and make libraries of their favorite coats.