There are plenty of good news stories to rise out of this pandemic. Here at the Asset Management Council, we’ve been posting a number of articles that highlight the fluidity of assets, and the ingenuity of leadership to reconfigure products and services to meet the changing needs of the community.
Over in the United Kingdom, couture fashion house, Burberry—famous for trench coats and its registered check design—is retooling its trench coat factory in Yorkshire to make non-surgical gowns and masks for patients1 during the COVID-19 outbreak. That’s going to make for some very stylish and fancy patients! In addition, Burberry has made a significant donation to the University of Oxford to fast-track research into a single-dose vaccine2.
Burberry’s attention to practical assistance during this crisis underpins its humble beginnings: the trench coat was originally designed for soldiers during WW1. With epaulettes on the shoulders to suspend equipment including whistles and gloves, D-rings to carry grenades and other armoury, a gun flap to provide additional protection, and the durable, weather-proof fabric to shield the soldiers from inclement weather, the trench coat soon became a staple for the military. After the war, the company continued to expand its production and line, and moving from wholesale to retail, has grown to become a world-leader in fashion for its focus on sustainability and the circular economy3.
Let us know how your business is managing throughout this time; we’d love to hear from you. And don’t forget to register for AMspeak, our virtual conference, by clicking here. We are thought-leaders in asset management and by converting our annual conference to online, we are demonstrating another adaptable function of businesses during this time of #stayhome and shutdown. We look forward to seeing you there!
2Sourced: as above
3Sourced: https://uk.burberry.com/our-history/