American story that transformed a company making clothes for soldiers in war the biggest names on the British fashion scene

Angela Ahrendts, Indiana, Burberry's chief executive and one of the highest paid managers in the UK. According to Business Insider, only in 2012, it has won 17 million pounds for the leadership of one of the most important and most visible brands in the fashion industry.

"I always knew that fashion would be my destiny. If you look in my high school yearbook, you'll see that at 16 I knew exactly what I wanted to do, "said Ahrendts. Over the past seven years it has managed to turn Burberry, a brand with a history of 157 years, but better known to baseball caps we produce in the biggest names on the British fashion scene and a real opponent for major fashion houses in Paris and Milan. It also raised prices significantly, which makes his business now worth 7.63 billion euros, a fraction less than Marks & Spencer.

Burberry bowling bags sold today alligator with 16,500 euros each, calf coats with animal print booties from 6,500 euros and 110 euros for children. Ahrendts attended a university in Indiana, and initially wanting to become a designer, but soon gave out that he had a talent for drawing required. What would, in turn, was "a very strong sense of criticism on the work of others." "A teacher told me a day that was the defining character for a trader," recalls today's business woman. Immediately after graduation, he took the first flight to New York after releasing her love of school, Greg Ahrendts.

It was the beginning of a long distance relationship that lasts for 17 years. At first, he lived in a small apartment in the city and work 80 hours each week to make its way up the corporate ladder and build a career in fashion, passing from brands like Donna Karan and Juicy Couture . Meanwhile, she married Greg, who moved to the big city and started his own business. Just when she felt her life go on a normal path, received a call from Rose Marie Bravo, chief executive of Burberry at the time, asking him to take over the company.

Originally Ahrendts refused, thinking that already has everything he wants: a nice house in the country, three kids, a dog. "We do not even have met after the first call. I had the coolest job on Seventh Avenue. Really do not think life could be better than that. I was satisfied and happy, "she recalls. But Rose Marie Bravo would not relent, so at her insistence, Ahrendts has agreed to meet with Christopher Bailey, Burberry designer.

Dined together, and for three hours and a half, have dreams bedding paper towel. The link between them was made immediately on an emotional level, but Ahrendts was still in balance in relation to the larger body, which required American to sell their properties and move their children from school. What convinced ultimately was the history of the company, which provides clothes British soldiers during the First World War. Ahrendts then began to "gloomy gray out" in house fashion trends and inspire a new British company tightening, one that was to propel the heights of glory.

Burberry image took care not to be associated with the sport of hooligans, which had become almost a uniform British brand defining, and spent the next year rebuilding company. "It was one of the most pleasant task, but it must do," says the director, only so far in 2013 has received seven million pounds. "There is no kind of outrage. Everyone knows it's a huge amount, but everyone thinks that he is worth every penny. We all love you, "said one of the directors of Burberry.