Burberry acquires Italian technical outerwear business from supplier

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 29, 2023

Burberry has made a key move to boost its technical outerwear production capacity. It has entered into a deal to acquire a business from longstanding Italian supplier Pattern SpA for €21 million.

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The two have worked together for almost 20 years to produce ready-to-wear, including quilts and downs at Pattern’s product development site in Turin.  

And now, Burberry said it has secured capacity, can build technical outerwear capability and further embed sustainability into its value chain. 

All of the electricity Pattern uses at its sites is from renewable sources, and the company is on track to achieve carbon neutrality at its Turin site in 2023

The deal will “complement Burberry’s historic manufacturing centres in Yorkshire, UK, where it will continue to weave gabardine and make the British luxury brand’s iconic heritage trench coat, and invest in its operations”.

The new move also follows the successful integration of Burberry’s leather goods hub in Florence, Italy. 

On completion of the deal that’s set to happen later this year, around 70 of Pattern’s employees in Turin will join Burberry.

And it doesn’t mean the British firm is cutting ties with the Italian one as Pattern will continue to operate the parts of the business not included in the transaction.

Burberry CEO Jonathan Akeroyd said it’s a “strategic investment [that’s] an important next step in bringing our outerwear category to full potential. It will enhance our capabilities, building on our strong foundations in the UK, and provide greater control over the quality, delivery and sustainability of our products”.