Dean Thomas

Burberry London womenswear designer Dean Thomas hails from Dulverton in Somerset, which is significant to his story. He sourced every component for the garments in his Central Saint Martins’ graduation collection in 2008 from within a 50-mile radius of his home town.

This helped Thomas understand the craft of fashion as he sourced the wool, yarn, feathers and weaving locally, getting to know how artisans work.

His show caught the attention of publications such as Vogue and The Daily Telegraph, and set the tone for his career.

Thomas cherishes British heritage fashion, which has been recognised by invitations to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party and a Clarence House discussion on the use of British wool.

His first job was with Hobbs, where he worked on the retailer’s Heritage & Artisan collection – the range used 100% British materials and manufacture. He also worked on Hobbs’ NW3 sub-brand.

Thomas was clearly heading for a role at a heritage brand, and his big opportunity came along in March 2011 when he joined the Burberry London team.

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