Burberry

Nice store.

The sales associates are wonderful here. My family has in the past bought closet fulls of Burberry items but unfortunately this year if you take notice everything is now MADE IN CHINA. You can feel it in the quality of the clothing items (especially the sweaters) that it has gone downhill (aka cheaper) yet the prices has stayed the same.

I have been in this store four or five times now.
The first time I went in I was just browsing because I was surprised to find the Natick Mall had a Burberry store. I did feel that all eyes were on me since I was the only ‘customer’ and I was wearing jeans and a t-​shirt, but every employee greeted me politely.
The next time I went in I bought two sweaters for my nephew, one was $ 95 the other was $ 115. Ridiculous, but I figured I’d drive his parents nuts and spoil him. The people were friendly, but that might have been because I was wearing a Burberry polo shirt so they figured I ‘belonged’. The woman who checked me out, Lynda, was really affable as was the girl who spent ten minutes searching shelves high and low and repeatedly checked the back room for what I was looking for. They made the store feel welcoming and not pretentious.
My sister insisted I return one, so back I went a few days later. There were mostly guys working, and whoever handled my return took himself way too seriously. He seemed determined to get me to switch the sweater for a different size rather than return it, and when I tried to joke with him about my sister forcing my hand I got an icy stare.
I had told my father about the two sweaters and he told me to buy the one I had returned and he would give it as a gift for Christmas. I went back a week later for the sweater and also to buy a scarf for my sister for Christmas, that my parents and I are chipping in on ($ 335 for the Rose Pink). Lynda was working again and brought the warmth back to the store. I told her what I was looking for and she went and brought both to the counter while I waited. The guy who had handled my return was watching from off in the corner and I felt like he was trying to thought-​kill me the whole time Lynda rang me up. I told her the story of the return and the re-​buy and she laughed. She wrapped up both items and boxed them separately with a gift receipt for each.
I have to say, their gift boxes and even their standard grey-​brown shopping bags are so cool. Both the boxes and the bags have a large silver Prorsum Knight with ‘Burberry’ in silver lettering, and they tie the bags with a black ribbon The effect is really stunning.
The last time I went in was last week. I was at Tourneau (which I’ll review), which is directly across from Burberry and thought I’d stop in. I was looking for a red necktie that I had seen on the website. The past few times the counter by the neckties had been empty, but this time this friendly guy named Kesnel was working and he took all the cases with the neckties and put them on the counter so I could see the stock. Most of the red ties were skinny cut, which I don’t like as much as the fuller, classic cut. Underneath the pile was a purple tie with the same pattern as a black tie I have which I’d ordered off the website. I ended up buying that ($ 140) and hope that at a future date I’ll find the red tie I’m looking for.
So out of five trips to the Natick Collection Burberry, only one was slightly negative. If you’re not used to shopping at high end stores like Burberry it can be a little intimidating walking in for the first time, but depending who’s working you can find yourself feeling at home or like an outsider. Like my profile says, I’m obsessed with their neckties, so I know I’ll be back. Both Lynda and Kesnel gave me their cards, so I might just call first to see if one or the other are working before I take a trip over. As a side note, Lynda had mentioned to me that if I saw anything on the website I liked to call her and she could order it to the store if it wasn’t in stock to look at before buying. She and Kesnel and the other girl (sorry didn’t catch your name!) really brought the service you’d expect from a store like Burberry.

I love Burberry’s Prorsum line. The London line usually embodies the stodgy old man — although admittedly, more recent iterations of trench coats and other staples are decidedly more modern — and I came during a lunch break (I work across the hall at Gucci) hoping to catch a glimpse of the incoming Prorsum Spring/​Summer pre-​collection.
The Sales Associate — I really wish I’d caught his name, because he was friendly, knowledgeable and wears these really interesting sage-​colored glasses — informed me that they didn’t carry Prorsum (apparently only a few stores do, and none of the three in Boston are the winners) but knew enough about the line that we discussed the aesthetic and inspiration in detail for several minutes. How enjoyable to talk with a Sales Associate who knows everything about the brand and then some!
If you need assistance at Burberry, find this guy at Natick — he’s amazing!

I’ve been in there twice and both times the sales associates were pleasant. I can walk around in there without someone on my back or staring at me.
While I was purchasing an item, the associate was considerate enough to ask me if I wanted the plastic protector removed. She really took her time removing all the protective materials which I appreciated.