Blinkink uses the subtle imperfections of cross stitch to craft an animated campaign for Burberry

Burberry have teamed up with London-based production studio Blinkink to create four animated shorts in the run up to the brand’s Winter 2025 collection and runway show last week. Directed by Daniel Quirke at Blinkink, creative directed by David Lane, and made in collaboration with London Embroidery Studio, the shorts are entirely cross stitched frame by frame and it took a lengthy four weeks to make 30 seconds of embroidered animation.

“Embroidery, specifically cross-stitching, played a big role in Burberry’s promotion of the winter show”, director Daniel Quirke tells us. Initially inspired by the fact that Burberry would be “sending out cross-stitched invitations” for the occasion, the team at Blinkink wanted to push the craft into the format of moving image for their animated teasers. “The medium also aligns perfectly with Burberry’s identity as a brand, synonymous with timeless craftsmanship and British heritage,” Daniel continues. “It highlights the value of handwork and tradition, with a connection to artistry and excellence.”

With a tight four week schedule and just a few days for storyboarding and prep, the team designed a sequence that takes Burberry’s knight through London’s landscape, from Tower Bridge and into the Tate Britain, where the winter show was held. A team of 2D animators were the first to get started on the scenes for the shorts, and their sketches were later be compiled and processed to make the cross stitch patterns.

As with taking anything from one format into another, there’s always the tricky work of translation. One thing that ended up being difficult to work out was how to design each figure and form to be graphic enough to translate into cross stitched fabric, and still remain clear. “We wanted the cross stitching to look as nice as possible but if they became too detailed the images were made unclear and mushy,” says Daniel.

Each frame was stitched onto a square of blue fabric for a textured background in Burberry’s signature hue. But, “there can be some stretching with fabric though sometimes”, explains Daniel, which made it hard for the team to line up all 120 frames of the animation. The team turned to expert compositor John Malcolm Morre who “nudged footage into place”, so that the shorts 120 frames found the perfect balance between slick and handcrafted.

To tie everything together Blinkink collaborated with the studio I Want Noise, who worked on the sound design for the three ten second animations to bring a “more modern energy” to the traditional textile craft. Composer and sound designer Charlie Pelling then re-edited the music and added additional sound design for the full 30-second cut that combined all three animations, this time incorporating the sounds of machinery and stitching into the music, “almost as if they became a percussive element in the track”, says Daniel.

This whirring machine sound cleverly ties in the craftsmanship behind the embroidery and puts the animations laborious process in the spotlight – something “AI and all these amazing digital tools simply can’t replicate”, says Daniel. “The subtle imperfections that enter analogue animation as a result of human touch and craftsmanship add a warmth and humanity that stand in contrast to sterile perfection. I think we can feel that difference, and it makes the experience all the more special.”