Photo: Gorunway.com
Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge for a new designer taking the reigns of a storied fashion house is finding a fresh direction. Should it be young? Or heritage? For Daniel Lee, the future of Burberry is, in fact, both, as proven by his debut runway show as chief creative officer yesterday.
Photo: Gorunway.com
London’s St Agnes Place was selected as the venue, and transformed by Lee into an intimate and cozy space inspired by Burberry tents from the late 19th and early 20th century. Following Lee’s belief that Burberry flies the flag for Britishness, the show was a celebration of the true Brit DNA, starting with the hot water bottles dressed in the brand’s iconic check print awaiting guests at their seats. On the front row were stars, models, artists, and friends of the house including Naomi Campbell, Jason Statham, Baz Luhrmann, and Jodie Comer, as well as actor Sarah Taibah and Olympian Yusra Mardini from the region.
Photo: Gorunway.com
Models on the runway wore trench coats turned into dresses, big coats covered in feathers, designs celebrating the English rose, and… Ducks! It may have been a nod to the British idiom popular in the rain: “Lovely weather for ducks”, or simply Lee’s way of injecting fun into his debut collection. “I thought that was funny. You have to have a bit of humor,” Lee shared backstage. “You know, it’s change for me, change for the brand, and change for the positive thing.”
Photo: Gorunway.com
Waterfowl aside, the collection felt contemporary, with some references to punk made throughout the mix of patterns, colors, and irreverent styling. In an exercise of confidence and wearability, utilitarian details and hiking-inspired elements reigned supreme, such as trousers with zippers, climbing boots and wellies, and satchels and saddlebags for accessories. Lee also offered his own take on logomania, by presenting the signature Burberry check in bold hues, a vibrant blue being the most prominent among them, as it is the same one that features in the house’s current branding. While a small ‘b’ functioned as a fastener on some of the bags, the updated equestrian Prorsum logo in blue was blown up on a white dress—both equally signaling a bright future for Burberry.
Check out more highlights from the Burberry Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear collection below.
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
Photo: Gorunway.com
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