Burberry Blue Label vs Black Label: The Complete Guide
If you spend any time in the vintage Burberry market — especially if you are buying from Japan, or from sellers who source from Japan — you will quickly encounter "Blue Label" and "Black Label" pieces. Understanding what these lines are, how they differ from the main UK line, and whether they are worth buying is essential knowledge for any serious collector.
What Are Licensed Lines?
Japan has a long tradition of luxury brand licensing: a European house grants a Japanese company the right to manufacture and sell garments under the brand's name, specifically for the Japanese domestic market. These pieces are authentic in the sense that they are made under licence, but they are not the same as garments produced by the brand itself at its own facilities. The design, fit, and sometimes quality are adapted for the Japanese market.
For Burberry, the licensee was Sanyo Shokai (三陽商会), a major Japanese apparel manufacturer. The licensing arrangement ran from roughly the 1970s until around 2015, during which Sanyo produced enormous volumes of Burberry-branded goods across multiple sub-lines.
Burberry Blue Label: The Women's Line
Blue Label (ブルーレーベル, Burū Rēberu) was the women's diffusion line under the Sanyo licence.
Design language: Distinctly Japanese in sensibility — lighter-weight fabrics, softer construction, more feminine and sometimes girlish silhouettes compared to the architectural British tailoring of the main line. Floral prints mixed with the Nova check, pastel colourways, and details like ruffled collars and pleated skirts were common.
Typical pieces: Wool and cashmere coats, checked skirts, blouses, knitwear, handbags, and accessories — all carrying the Blue Label woven tag.
Quality: Genuinely good. Sanyo used solid Japanese manufacturing, and the fabric quality — particularly on wool and cashmere pieces — holds up well. The construction is lighter than main-line UK Burberry, but appropriate for the design intent.
How to identify on the label: The main label reads "Burberry Blue Label" (バーバリー ブルーレーベル in Japanese). The care label will be in Japanese. Country of origin is Japan.
Burberry Black Label: The Men's Line
Black Label (ブラックレーベル) was the men's equivalent under the same Sanyo licence.
Design language: More tailored and smart-casual than Blue Label's feminine diffusion. Think structured blazers, chino trousers, polo shirts, and outerwear — classic British prep filtered through Japanese quality craftsmanship and slightly slimmer Japanese cuts.
Typical pieces: Blazers, trousers, shirts, knitwear, coats, and accessories. The Nova check appears as lining, trim, and occasional outward pattern, but in more restrained applications than the more pattern-forward Blue Label.
Quality: Comparable to Blue Label — solid Japanese manufacturing. Shirting and knitwear especially tend to be well constructed with good fabric weights.
How to identify: Label reads "Burberry Black Label" (バーバリー ブラックレーベル). Japanese care labelling, made in Japan.
Thomas Burberry Label: The Third Sanyo Line
Less well known is the Thomas Burberry Label — a sportswear and casual-wear sub-brand using the founder's full name. This line had a more active/athletic design language, with tracksuits, casual outerwear, and sporty accessories. The label reads "Thomas Burberry" and it sits below both Blue and Black Label in the Sanyo hierarchy. Quality is still reasonable but the design intent is further from the British heritage aesthetic.
Burberry Brit: The Global Casual Line
Burberry Brit is a different beast entirely — it is a genuine Burberry (not licensed) line that existed globally from the early 2000s as a more casual, accessible tier beneath the main London line and the premium Prorsum line. Brit pieces carry UK/global manufacturing standards and are more directly comparable to main-line Burberry. They are often found alongside London and Prorsum labels in Western vintage shops. Do not confuse Burberry Brit with the Japanese Blue/Black Label lines.
Quality Comparison: Japan Lines vs UK Main Line
| UK Main Line | Blue/Black Label (Japan) | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Heavier, more architectural | Lighter, softer |
| Fit | British/European proportions | Japanese proportions (slimmer, shorter) |
| Design language | Classic British heritage | Japanese interpretation |
| Fabric quality | Excellent | Genuinely good |
| Authenticity | Direct Burberry production | Licensed production |
The key practical point for vintage buyers: fit. Japanese-market pieces run significantly smaller and shorter than UK-market pieces. A Japanese "L" is broadly equivalent to a UK/European "S" or small "M". Always check actual measurements rather than size labels.
What Happened When the Licence Ended (~2015)
Sanyo's Burberry licence expired around 2015. This was a significant business disruption for Sanyo — the Burberry licence had been a cornerstone of their revenue. After the transition, Sanyo launched Blue Label CRESTBRIDGE and Black Label CRESTBRIDGE using the "Crestbridge" trademark (the Burberry equestrian crest-inspired design). These post-2015 pieces are marketed as continuations of the Blue/Black Label spirit but are legally a separate brand.
For vintage buyers, the practical implication is: genuine Blue Label and Black Label pieces were produced up to approximately 2015. Anything labelled "CRESTBRIDGE" is post-licence and not connected to Burberry.
Are They Worth Buying?
Yes, with caveats. For buyers who are specifically interested in Japanese fashion interpretation of British heritage brands, Blue and Black Label offer excellent value. The fabric quality is real, the construction is solid, and many pieces — particularly wool coats, cashmere accessories, and tailored blazers — are genuinely useful wardrobe additions.
The main considerations:
- Fit sizing: Size up substantially from stated label size. Measure first.
- Design language: If you want "classic British Burberry", these are not it. They are Japanese designer garments that use Burberry branding.
- Pricing: They should be priced below equivalent main-line UK pieces of the same era. If a seller is charging main-line prices for Blue/Black Label, that's worth questioning.
- Chinese vintage market: Blue and Black Label are particularly popular among Chinese vintage buyers because they offer Burberry branding with Japanese manufacturing quality — a combination that resonates strongly in the Chinese market. This has pushed prices up somewhat compared to the West.
Our shop stocks authenticated pieces across all Burberry lines. Each listing clearly identifies the line and era — browse to find the right piece for you.
