How Celebrities Style Burberry’s Iconic Check Print
The nostalgic print endures as a symbol of British cool—appearing on scarves, swimwear, and more.
Reported by Vogue.
The Burberry check doesn't need an introduction. Born as a humble lining inside cotton gabardine trench coats in the 1920s, it spent decades as the brand's quiet house code — until 1967, when a Burberry buyer had the idea to wrap umbrellas and luggage in the same signature plaid. That move transformed a discreet detail into an outright status symbol, and the print never looked back. According to Vogue, the check has since migrated across every category imaginable: scarves, bikinis, bucket hats, totes, corset tops, cashmere wraps, and suitcases built to be seen.
The '90s and early aughts delivered the most culturally loaded chapter. Christy Turlington wore the checked skirt with a crewneck and black hosiery in 1994 — a formula so clean it still works now, minus the tights. Victoria Beckham, in full Posh Spice mode, knotted a silk Burberry square over her head and effectively retired the headscarf for anyone else. Beyoncé wore the iconic checked bikini in the "03 Bonnie & Clyde" video. Liam Gallagher wheeled his checked luggage through airports like it was a personality trait. Every era absorbed the print and made it its own — preppy, aspirational, and vaguely rebellious, often at the same time.
The Check, Rebooted
What keeps the Burberry check relevant isn't nostalgia — it's adaptability. The checked skirt reappears every season in mini, midi, and pleated cuts. Garcelle Beauvais styled the bucket hat with wide-leg trousers and a fitted turtleneck; today, it works just as well with a trench, loose denim, and a white tee. The cashmere scarf, introduced in the 1970s and photographed on Katherine Heigl in a fringed version in 2002, has become one of those rare accessories that functions equally as wardrobe staple and bulletproof gift. Mandy Moore's checked tote and blue jeans moment from 2001 still reads as the ideal off-duty uniform.
The most recent proof of concept: Burberry's collaboration with Hunza G, which brought the check back to the beach. A heritage print wearing a swimwear collab without losing an ounce of its identity is, honestly, impressive range. Rebecca Romijn once styled the checked bikini with a leather skirt and an open shirt, which is either chaotic or genius depending on how you feel about the early 2000s — but the point stands. The print can absorb almost anything.
A true house code doesn't ask you to dress around it — it meets you exactly where you are.
Read the original at Vogue.
