Burberry is taking its storytelling outdoors. The brand has launched Expedition with Burberry, a three-part documentary series created with Chinese National Geography, as part of its 170th anniversary celebrations. The focus is simple: follow real journeys through some of China’s most striking landscapes and use them to explore culture, environment and everyday life along the way.
The series brings together guests and friends of the brand, all wearing Burberry’s signature outerwear, as they move through different regions of China.
The format is travel-led and curiosity-driven, with each episode built around what the landscape reveals — from local communities to shifting ecosystems. It’s designed to feel grounded rather than staged, linking outdoor exploration with the brand’s long association with weather protection and functional design.
That connection goes back to Burberry’s origins in 1856. Founder Thomas Burberry focused on clothing that could handle unpredictable conditions, later developing gabardine in 1879.
The fabric was breathable, weather-resistant and practical for outdoor use, helping establish the brand’s reputation in performance outerwear, a theme that still runs through its identity today.
The first episode heads to Xi’an and the Qinling Mountains, guided by Chinese National Geography experts and Burberry ambassador Chen Kun.
Xi’an sets the cultural context first, with visits to Tang dynasty sites including the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and a performance of Huayin Laoqiang, a traditional form of folk music. From there, the journey shifts into the Qinling range, a natural divide between northern and southern China with sharply contrasting climates and ecosystems.
Once in the mountains, the tone becomes more observational. The episode captures everything from ancient forests and wildflower meadows to the dramatic “Stone Seas”, formed by glaciers millions of years ago. The route also includes the Hanzhong Tiankeng before moving deeper into the central range, offering views of landscapes that feel remote but are also closely tied to local life and heritage.
The series is also framed through environmental awareness. Chinese National Geography brings a focus on climate, conservation and regional ecosystems, drawing on coverage across China’s 34 provincial-level regions and beyond.
That scientific lens shapes how the landscapes are presented — not just as scenery, but as part of a wider system of change and interaction between people and nature. Josie Zhang, President of Burberry Greater China, positions the project as a way to reconnect audiences with the outdoors while recognising cultural and ecological heritage.
On the other side of the collaboration, Li Shuanke, President and Editor-in-Chief of Chinese National Geography, highlights China’s diverse natural zones and the value of combining field-based geography with immersive storytelling to better understand the relationship between people and their environment.
Two more episodes are on the way, continuing the series’ focus on China’s varied landscapes and the cultures shaped by them.
