Thanks for the detailed comment. What interests me about Burberry’s Art of the Trench site (still forthcoming, as I write this) is that it’s an opportunity for Burberry to create customers, using its brand to enrich and shape the culture of those who choose Burberry style. To me, this can’t be done with poses or photos. Every run-of-the-mill fashion shop does that, and it’s mostly fashion noise. What I hope to see from Burberry is cultural leadership, where Burberry stands for a certain context of culture and leads customers on a unique and absorbing brand journey. A Burberry-powered social media site can be a powerful tool in this direction.

A few things I’d like to comment on:

1. From the FT.com article: “Christopher Bailey, creative director, has commissioned Scott Schuman of influential fashion blog The Sartorialist to launch the site with photos of people in trenchcoats…WHY: to win over younger people, who may prove more resilient in terms of luxury spending.”

Pictures tell stories, they allow everyday people to share lives with others. Any one who engages digitally with fashion, whether your an indie fashion blogger, Lookbook.nu fashion iconoclast or a more traditional fashion industry professional, knows who Scott Schuman is and know the Satoralist site. The Satoralist site crosses multiple verticals and industries, include technology. Undoubtedly Burberry will leverage Schuman’s multiple audiences to generate awareness of the niche website.

2. You asked: “Finally, how deep is the customer “brand experience” in seeing photos of others in Burberry outfits? Might this undercut the Burberry identity so ably set forth in exquisite photos and videos of Burberry-adorned models?”

Burberry’s experimenting with user generated content. That a huge step socially. Photo quality isn’t something I’d worry about. Most users on sites such as Weardrobe, Lookbook.Nu and Modepass are stunning photographers. It’s natural that the content generated for Burberry’s network would fall in line with the creator’s style. Users of photo sharing sites attempt to create a certain aesthetic. They’ll put time and effort into the photos they create for Burberry. And I’m sure if they do an phenomenal job, Burberry will recognize a brand evangelist in the making.

3. You mention Burberry outlet stores and that they may lead to online brand dilution. Brands such as Gucci and Burberry make a large percentage of their revenue in accessories and leather goods that cost under $300 USD. It’s the same with sales outlets. Coach’s outlets are what have kept in a float in current economic times.

When a customer shops the main Burberry website or retail store, and then shops the outlet store, they know the difference in the product they’re purchasing from each location. Often times, outlet lines are discontinued items or specifically designed to meet a lower price point. I can tell Coach from Coach Outlet.

If Burberry focuses on what it’s goals and building attention around the products it wants online audiences to engage with – and purchase – it can be successful. I believe that the goal of ArtOfTheTrench is highly refined experience that focuses on a single item.

Luxury brands are about passion, aspirations and desire. They are also about creating experiences. Luxury brands are taking those ideals online and creating spaces for small concepts to live and flourish. And the web becomes clutter, I see real genius in luxury brands online marketing strategies. In a year, they will lead the industry in terms of online innovations.

Women always need staple items – a little black dress, a brown leather belt, a black wool coat and a trench coat for when it rains (why not make it Burberry?).