British fashion house Burberry is so much more than just a check these days thanks to the vision of its creative director Christopher Bailey. Burberry Prorsum, which is Bailey's directional and fashion collection for the company, has been gaining cachet and notoriety for several seasons, and his Autumn / Winter 05 collection was hailed as one of the top Milan shows.

Born in 1971 in Yorkshire, England, Bailey graduated from the Royal College of Art in London, and has worked for Donna Karan and Gucci, joining the House in May 2001.

Bailey has stated on many occasions that he loves the brand and is proud of it and constantly thinking about how he can blend his taste level to Burberry's roots. In his latest collection Bailey introduced a more casual look, adding Bohemian flare to the design house's British heritage.

Balancing the company's tradition with what is modern is a key element in the strength of the Burberry brand. Burberry was founded in 1856 when 21 year old Thomas Burberry, a former apprentice to a country draper, opened an outfitters shop in Bashingstoke, Hampshire, England. The dawn of the company's re-emergence as a fashion brand was in 2000 when it became an icon of British style. The Kate Moss fronted campaign had fashionastis world-wide sporting the new mac, and it was no coincidence the British Fashion Council honoured Burberry in both its Classic and Contemporary design categories two years in a row. The new flagship on Bond Street was opened later that year and has proven to be a catalyst for stores around the globe.

Now, a few fragrances later, a revamped accessories line due out this Autumn, and domination in markets such as Russia and the Far East have seen the company grow to a leader in the fashion sector, whilst never steering too far from its iconic past.