Burberry not a 'chav' brand according to new boss

Angela Ahrendts, the new boss of Burberry, is planning 'men only' stores in a move to reach a wider audience. The American, who last week replaced Rose Marie Bravo as chief executive of Burberry, downplayed the company's reputation as the brand of choice for 'chavs'. 'This is a very British notion,' she said, adding that Burberry is perceived as a 'modern classic brand' globally and that different formats, including dedicated accessory stores, will be looked at.

New ranges for men will be modelled by singer Bryan Ferry's sons Otis and Isaac, as well as members of the band Kasabian. Kate Moss and Stella Tennant will be among the models promoting Burberry's creations when it launches an autumn advertising campaign. Ahrendts, former vicepresident of Liz Claiborne in the US, added that she was keen to expand Burberry's presence in North America. Burberry will report firstquarter trading on Wednesday. Analysts at JPMorgan expect a 16% rise in sales to £131.6m.