to minimalist – some would say generic – branding that has defined the luxury fashion industry in recent years, with brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Burberry, just to name a few, ditching their old, distinctive logos for simple sans serif ones.  But while this trend towards simplicity delivered certain benefits – sans serif fonts are said to be easier to read, and therefore, more accessible to those with visual and cognitive impairments – it also erased many brands’ point of difference, and arguably, a lot of their value.  “We’ve gained in simplicity, and digital design in particular has been elevated. But that came with a level of uniformity where so many visuals and brands started to look very generic,” Mathilde Delatte, creative director of Melbourne-based creative studio, Belleville, told Inside Retail.  Delatte believes that Burberry is just the start of a new era of brands embracing their heritage and unique identity.  “I think more and more brands are coming back to using the power of design for self-expression, and really this idea of standing out and embracing who they are and what makes them unique,” she said.  What drove the minimalist trend to begin with? “If I think about what drove that move to sans serif, which all of the fashion houses did, there were two forces: one was technology, and the other was [the need] for a brand to work in that lowest common denominator environment, which is mobile,” Nicola Mansfield, founder of brand consultancy The Design Thinkers, told Inside Retail.  “UX designers were saying, ‘These complex brands just aren’t going to work on mobile,’ so we wiped away millennia of heritage across all of those wonderful fashion brands to make it work on a phone. It just astounds me.”  Source: Medium As Mansfield pointed out, the purpose of branding has always been about ownership and differentiation.  “If we go all the way back to hot metal on cowhide, it’s about making your product distinct from your neighbour’s product, in the event that your cows get out and your herds are merged,” she said.  “When you make the brand the same, the whole purpose of ownership and loyalty and customer resonance is lost.”  Inherent in the push to make their logos more legible on smartphones is luxury brands’ desire to attract younger customers, who, presumably, are less likely to be interested in heritage brands that came across as old and traditional.  But here, too, Mansfield believes the industry miscalculated based on assumptions rather than research. “I feel as though it was a boomer decision to strip everything out, because they believe that’s what Gen Z wants,” she said. “I don’t think heritage is an issue for younger generations. I think it seems prestigious.”  Is this the start of a new era of individuality?  Judging by Burberry’s recent runway show at London Fashion Week, Lee feels the same way. The show has been called “an ode to British heritage,” with models sporting Burberry trench coats, tartan-inspired kilts, rubber boots and carrying hot water bottles, shearling-trimmed bags and big scarves as accessories, according to Reuters.  “Lee is embracing that heritage, because it gives him so much more to work with,” Mansfield said.  Delatte noted that Burberry has embraced its heritage in a way that still feels contemporary, featuring an eclectic mix of British and global musicians, models, actors and football players, from Vanessa Redgrave to Raheem Sterling, in its campaign introducing the new logo.  “Changes always come with a level of risk but if done strategically, it does pay off. Many markets are saturated. Having a unique visual presence that reflects the brand’s core values is going to resonate with people. And once an emotional connection has been established, there is less selling to do,” she said.  “The shift towards more unique, edgy and less uniform branding and campaigns is definitely here.”