Daniel Lee is back in the UK with his Burberry debut. The Brit celebrates this with an ode to his homeland. He’s bringing local flora and fauna, punk-tinged plaid and the eagerly awaited return of the Burberry Knight, teased with the unveiling of the new brand identity earlier this month. FashionUnited has summarized the pace at which the new creative director – five months after his appointment – is riding into the future of the British fashion house.
On Monday evening, Lee showed his first collection for Burberry near London’s cricket stadium “The Oval” and thus made the first reference to British traditions, which are also deeply rooted in the DNA of the fashion house, with the choice of location. The venue itself was all black and dark away from the walkway at ground level.
Hot-water bottle instead of a warming trench coat
Even the first look didn’t make the dark room shine. A black coat with a shimmering green fur collar opened the show. This was first presented by a female model and immediately afterwards by a male model. The coat’s cut and length were reminiscent of the fashion house’s signature trench coat, but lacked key details like double-breasted buttons and a belt. There was no trace of the trench coat and the color beige, which is typical for the coat, was hardly to be seen – it only adorned individual leather looks. However, the ‘car coat’, which is very similar to the trench coat, appeared in a deconstructed version. So the front, including the buttons, migrated to the back.
The checked pattern, which is also typical of Burberry, was much more represented, which could be seen in combinations with bright colors such as purple, red, yellow and blue. The pattern adorned a whole range of pieces – from skirts and suits to turtlenecks and bomber jackets. This also includes covers for hot-water bottles, which would be the absolute it-piece of the Autumn/Winter 23 season – whether as a lifestyle product on the sofa or as a fashionable hand warmer in the street styles of the upcoming fashion weeks.
Prints: from ducklings to knights
But not only checks adorned the looks, also the local flora and fauna was an important part. In addition to large-scale rose prints, waterfowl such as swans and ducks appeared in the collection. A two-dimensional duck adorned various pieces and became its very own pattern through duplication.
Meanwhile, a knitted duck’s head on a hat became an eye-catcher, which, with its childishly playful nature, stood in contrast to the rest of the use of the feathered animal. But colorful feathers and skins reminiscent of foxes are also part of the collection. The latter could be seen as a cap, collar trim and (fox tail) pendant.
Between all the prints and colors, Burberry’s knight on horseback also finds a place in the collection. As a huge print, the brand’s logo – as a detailed variant, but also as a silhouette – adorns various pieces such as coats and blankets.
But because all that wasn’t enough, there was also a bit of punk à la Vivien Westwood. The duckling pattern, which clashes in different colors on the top and bottom, as well as a combination of leather jacket and checked pants played with this aesthetic. In addition, a black T-shirt – with a swan motif and the inscription “Winds of Change” – was reminiscent of a rocking band shirt.
Where the wind is blowing at Burberry with this very complex collection is not entirely clear after this first collection. Nevertheless, Daniel Lee stirs up a lot of dust and gallops into a new era for Burberry.
