Burberry built a palace made of mirrors in Korea

To bring its brand's first immersive brand experience to Jeju Island, South Korea, Burberry has done things in a big way: an entirely reflective topographic sculpture, a huge palace made of mirrors that wants to reinterpret the surrounding mountain landscape in a dreamlike and futuristic sense. The installation, called The Imagined Landscape Experience, draws inspiration from the graphics of the geographical maps and the pioneering spirit that has animated the same brand since 1879, the year in which Thomas Burberry invented cotton gabardine to give life to his famous trench coats. Overlooking Sanbang Mountain and the South Shore, a viewing platform allows visitors to enjoy stunning views – an element that, together with the reflective surfaces of the exterior, wants to underline the connection between man and nature celebrated by Burberry originally with its avant-garde outwear garments and, nowadays, with its constant commitment to sustainability.

Inside the environment changes, becoming an even more futuristic space where the digital and physical worlds meet, mixing the projection of the films of the three artists Maotik, Cao Yuxi and Lia Jiayu with the presence of interactive screens through which to explore new virtual worlds. This technology and innovation wants to reflect that of the brand's latest collections signed by Riccardo Tisci that include the latest iterations of the iconic gabardine fabric, double-sided wool fabrics and the modular elements that distinguish the puffer jackets.

The experience, however, expands to the digital world, through a collaboration with TikTok, which allows visitors to see a digital show by scanning a QR Code that makes a shark bank appear on the screen in the sky. Next to the installation there is also the first Korean location of the Thomas Cafè, whose name takes up that of the founder of the brand, mixes in its furniture the beige colors and zoological motifs typical of the brand. Inside the café, pastry chef Justin Lee of JL Dessert Bar has created an ad hoc menu that combines Korean confectionery tradition with subtle references to the brand. 

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Burberry will also support the conservation of Jeju Island through a five-year partnership with the non-profit Organization Jeju Olle Foundation. Burberry has also committed to maintaining the island's scenic trails to enable continuous and safe access for the public, while supporting environmentally harmful waste disposal programmes. This immersive experience will be certified carbon neutral in line with Burberry's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its presentations.