Thomas Burberry establishes Burberry in Basingstoke at just 21 years old, founded on the principle that clothing should be designed to protect people from the British weather. Thomas Burberry invents gabardine – the breathable, weatherproof and hardwearing fabric revolutionizing rainwear – which up until then had typically been heavy and uncomfortable to wear. Gabardine was then patented in 1888. Norwegian polar explorer, zoologist and recipient of the Nobel peace prize, Dr Fridtjof Nansen is the first recorded polar explorer to take Burberry gabardine to the poles when he sets sail bound for the arctic circle. The company runs a public competition to design a new logo for the brand. The winning entry is inspired by 13th and 14th-century armor on display at the Wallace collection in London – and the equestrian knight device is born.