There are only three months between his first day on the job and the upcoming London Fashion Week. Daniel Lee, Burberry’s new creative director, has a steep road ahead of him. In view of the Christmas season, his move from Milan back to London and the familiarization phase in the new company, the time is reduced to just a few weeks.
However, some designers are in top form under such circumstances. Just think of Alessandro Michele’s first collection at Gucci. This was put together in less than a month and was ultimately a triumph for the fashion house.
On February 20th, Burberry will present the first collection under the direction of Daniel Lee. All eyes will then be on the British designer, whose sudden departure at the height of Bottega Veneta’s transformation continues to raise questions. It is clear that Lee knows how to create desirable products that surprise by redesigning well-known motifs without reinventing the “wheel”. In fashion, this is the highest art, because luxury customers rarely need anything, rather they buy things out of pure desire. Burberry will expect similar results.
The Legacy of Daniel Lee at Bottega Veneta
In his short career with the Italian brand, Lee has left a lasting legacy: the house’s green hue is still ubiquitous, as are the plaited leather bag and shoe mimics that have taken root on the high streets. The colorful rubber boots that made their debut years ago have now become a Bottega Veneta trademark.
“I’m still very honored that I can see Bottega’s influence all around me – like when I’m walking down the street,” Lee said in a Vogue interview.
For him, Burberry is his second post as creative director after Bottega Veneta, although he is an experienced designer. He started his career with brands such as Céline, Balenciaga, Donna Karan and Maison Margiela.
“I’m really happy that it’s coming full circle for me,” Lee told Vogue. “I haven’t been here full-time since Central Saint Martins [in London] lived. I’ve been to New York, then Paris and finally Milan, commuting back and forth between these places, always coming back to London for escape or inspiration. It’s nice to be back and have a solid base.”
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.com