Here are some highlights from a few exhilarating days of back-to-back shows and events that did justice to London’s community of fashion designers and creatives.
Burberry has been trying to revive the glory days of creative director Christopher Bailey for almost a decade now. It’s been an uphill battle for a brand that more than any other represents British luxury to the world.
The house is facing a dilemma: go upmarket and try to compete with the Pradas and Diors of the world (its current strategy), or make its products more accessible to become the British Coach?
The answer is in the hands of recently appointed CEO Joshua Schulman, who has his job cut out for him, and will also decide the fate of current creative director Daniel Lee. After a successful stint at Bottega Veneta, Lee has been trying to make the same impact at Burberry with mixed results.
The collection he presented on the last day of London Fashion Week was a tentative – and very safe – step in the right direction. A continuation of his autumn/winter show, the range injected Burberry’s heritage as a utilitarian outerwear brand with a dose of glamour, which came in the form of some beautiful sequinned pieces.
Trench-inspired dresses – the best looks in the show – feather-embellished hooded jackets, coats in distressed leather, cargo pants and a smattering of Burberry’s signature check print completed the line-up.