The Burberry Winter collection was a Great British love-in
Last night Daniel Lee presented his Winter 2024 collection for Burberry in Victoria Park
Words: Zak Maoui
It's been a tough time over at Burberry. Sales aren't looking that good, and the luxury British company has announced that it will be unable to meet its full-year revenue goals if softer demand in the global luxury market continues. It lowered its profit forecast for the year from £668 million to between £410 million and £460 million.
But in true Britishness, the (fashion) show must go on. And last night Burberry staged its Winter collection unveiling in a gigantic eight mast tent (scented with Perfumer H's signature Ivy fragrance) in Victoria Park. It was creative director Daniel Lee's third catwalk show for the brand, which he joined in late 2022 as successor to Riccardo Tisci following a highly-praised and lucrative era at Bottega Veneta. And in line with the recent Burberry forecastings, pressure was on Lee to deliver.
The show was a starry affair. Everybody wants a ticket to a Burberry show. So much has been true since the days of Christopher Bailey, when celebrities and fashion editors alike would flock to Kensington Palace Gardens for a glimpse at the latest Burbs collection. And last night the likes of Olivia Colman, Dame Joanna Lumley, Jonathan Bailey, Callum Turner, Dizzee Rascal, Patsy Kensit, Lily Allen, Barry Keoghan, Cara Delevingne and more trekked to East London to catch what Lee had to offer.
And that was a very British collection. Lee sent models out - a starry cast including British faces Naomi Campbell, Agyness Deyn, Lily Cole, Maya Wigram (Phoebe Philo's daughter) and Lily Donaldson - to a medley of Amy Winehouse tracks. Lee wanted the collection to be for the people who wear and lust after Burberry, which was reflective in the eclectic mix of people on the FROW. “I’ve been thinking about all the people who wear Burberry, and I mean from the explorers in the early days to my own experience, which was much more urban, of people in football grounds and in the pub wearing Burberry,” he told The Guardian backstage.
The collection too was reflective of this. It was for everyone (who can afford it), whether that's a Notting Hill teen wearing his dad's beaten up leathers (Lennon Gallagher aptly walked), or a N2 Lumley-esque character rocking a cream wool coat for her latte pick up.
The Winter collection was, notably, a big coat affair, harking back to Burberry's origins as a trench outfitter during the World Wars. Lee was less on a mission to find a key accessory that would fly off shelves, as he did successfully at Bottega Veneta and attempted in his previous Burberry collections, and instead hankered down on Burberry's 168-year old skillset. There were parkas, duffels and field jackets. Leather trenches. Ruffled trenches. And über-chic faux fur topped coats. "The collection itself is inspired by British and Irish wool and fabric, centred around protection and warmth. Burberry trenches are designed with texture in mind. Coats are at the core, shoes and bags are functional. These pieces are made for the outdoors." Wellington and biker boots were deep olive in colour, and ready for the unpredictable British weather.
Meanwhile gone was the punchy Knight Blue that Lee had been pushing in previous collections (although there were flashes of it underfoot) and instead moss green was the order of the day. It was a totally refined collection that was cast in neutral hues. "Burberry’s heritage of the outdoors continues to inspire me. For Winter 2024, I wanted this collection to feel warm and protective." There were green knee-high boots, worn with baggy and zippered checked trousers in an array of clashing khakis, sage and evergreen. High-collared, moleskin trenches were olive in tone while Chelsea topcoats were cast in black. A scattering of boxy and oversized suits (this was a collection for the Great Outdoors after all) were worn sans shirts, and were cut from neutral and earthy, fleecy wools.
It was an inherently British collection, as should be with Burberry. Yorkshire-born Lee is in his stride and it was a consistent offering that'll keep its wearers, whether Skepta or Joanna Lumley, dry and very content.
Want more fashion content? Read up on the The biggest menswear moments from Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo
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