Burberry donates work wardrobes for International Women’s Day

Burberry has teamed up with UK charity Smart Works to offer work
wardrobes to women in need for International Women’s Day.

The UK luxury label is hosting a dressing session in its London flagship
showroom where seven of the charity’s clients had a one-to-one styling
session with members of Burberry’s private clients team and received a
Burberry capsule workwear wardrobe.

Each of the seven clients are at stage two of the Smart Works programme,
meaning they have secured employment, and are now being provided with
professional clothing to wear when they begin their jobs.

Burberry has been working with Smart Works since 2013, exploring the broader impact fashion brands can have through donation of surplus stock and the benefits of a more circular approach.

“We are passionate about our longstanding partnership with Smart Works
and the significant impact it has on women’s work lives. We both believe in
the transformative power of clothes and Smart Works empowers women by
giving them the tools and confidence to succeed,” Judy Collinson, chief
merchandising officer at Burberry said in a statement.

“Our partnership also contributes towards our efforts to revalue surplus
stock, whilst supporting the communities around us. Such a positive outcome
is something we can all celebrate.”

According to Smart Works, half of its clients are from an ethnic
minority, have been long term unemployed and have been unsuccessful with a
large number of job applications. Additionally, 40 percent of their clients
are single mothers. The charity, which aims to dress 3500 women in 2019,
say that 60 percent of its clients go on to secure employment.

Photographer Esther Theaker captured the clients in a series of images released on International Women’s Day.

Photo credit: Esther Theaker/Burberry