This is what Burberry by Riccardo Tisci will look like

The moment is almost here. After last March announcement, Monday, September 17th we'll finally lay our eyes on the first Burberry collection by Riccardo Tisci, during the London Fashion Week. The appointment of the Apulian designer at the helm of the British luxury fashion house came as a surprise as many were taking Phoebe Philo's appoitment for granted, and caused a few perplexities in the fashion world, but Tisci is ready to revolutionise the most iconic British brand. Burberry show is without a doubt the most anticipated event of the London Fashion Week (which for this season could have been easily called "Tisci Fashion Week"): the marriage between the brand symbol of English fashion and culture and the talented Italian designer can only be exciting.   

Tisci's action plan 

After twelve years as creative director of Givenchy, years in which Tisci introduced his at times gothic aesthetic, rich of religious references, and played on the contrast between streetwear items and ethereal tulle gowns, the designer has now to face the long heritage of Burberry. Last May Tisci unveiled on his Instragram profile the first images of the Resort SS19 Collection: as written by the designer in the caption, the items are an homage to the beauty, the history and the legacy of the brand. The tribute is made of the signature pieces of the maison, like the trench coat, the quilted jacket, the kilt, the monogrammed poncho and the barn jacket. The classic items meet Tisci's aesthetic vision: the protagonists of the photos are androgynous models, with their faces hidden, as in the contemporary gender fluid imaginary so important for Tisci. For the first collection in a new fashion house, usually the custom is to "play it safe", proposing updated versions of the most iconic and classic items of the brand. Even though the Resort SS19 (actually created by the design team of Burberry) seems to be going in this direction, it's safe to say that Tisci won't be happy with the classic trench coat, but, on the other hand, will create something brand new from the beginning. 

According to the influential Business of Fashion, Tisci will follow the action plan of Alessandro Michele when he first got at Gucci, which means: debut with an impactful and bold first collection, that clearly divides the before and the after, renew the store network (process already began), shot innovative campaigns and introduce new initiatives. Burberry by Riccardo Tisci will make the digital innovation its mission. The new creative director has realized from the beginning that the place to re-start the brand and open it to an increasngly younger audience is Instagram. Not only Tisci made every announcement regarding his carrer from that platform, but the social network will become an integral part in the sales network of Burberry. The English fashion house, in fact, will follow a new 'drop' product strategy: the limited edition items of Tisci's first collection will be available for 24 hours only on Instagram and WeChat. Immediately after the show, the pieces will be physically purchasable in the Burberry flagship store in Regent Street, London: Riccardo Tisci is taking the see now buy now strategy to the next level. 

The revolution starts from the logo

Following the lead of Hedi Slimane, first at Saint Laurent, then at Celine, the very first Tisci revolution at Burberry was without a doubt the changing of the font and of the logo of the brand, logo that had not been touched in 20 years. Famous English creative and designer Peter Saville weaved the initials of Thomas Burberry in a red and white pattern on a honey backdrop: Tisci's #newera starts here. Saville reworked also the logo of the brand, the writing is now youthful and more straightforward. This is the direction undertaken by Tisci: starting from the rich legacy of the brand, deeply connected to its homeland, to make it more appealing and contemporary for a younger client base. The new Burberry monogram has recently covered the parasols on the beaches of Sunset Beach, NY, the facades of buildings in Shanghai and Soho, Hong Kong's trams, Milan's walls and the front of the London flagship store. 

Collaborations

Burberry's new era does not differ so much from some decisions taken by former creative director Christopher Bailey, though, choices that turned out to be successful both from the image and the market point of view. Bailey understood immediately the potential of a collaboration with another brand. The collection created along with Gosha Rubchinskij managed to bring together Burberry's classic and uptight imagery with the young and street aesthethic of the Russian designer, turning out to be a huge success, and bringing the brand closer to younger customers. Tisci is a master when it comes to colllaborations, just think of the one with Nike, gone immediately sold out. As soon as he arrived at Burberry, Tisci announced a collaboration with Vivienne Westwood, dropping in December: a further move in order to make the brand always more innovative and interesting. 

The collaborative collection with Gosha included more street and wearable items. Tisci became very popular with the rottweiler printed or Bambi hoodies, bringing on the catwalk essentially street and sporty items, predicting the current sportswear trend. We're sure that Tisci will manage to make Burberry up to date, with a younger and more dynamic imagery, also thanks to the new pattern. Riccardo Tisci has a great experience in haute couture. Transparances, lace, embroidery, golden details, feathers, fringes, result of an incredibly high level of craftsmanship, a knowledge that the designer will pass on to Burberry as well. Streetwear meets high fashion. 

Family 

Cara Delevigne closed Bailey's farewell show wearing a rainbow cape lined in the classic Burberry pattern, a clear tribute to the LBGTQ community. Tradition meets future in the ultimate British model. Tisci was the first to send on the runway transgender models, and in this regard his and Bailey's vision are matching. Besides having grown up in a large family he's very closed to, the Apulian designer has solid friendships in the fashion and show business. Madonna, Rihanna, Julia Roberts, Marina Abramòvic, the muses Mariacarla Boscono, Kate Moss, Joan Smalls, without forgetting the entire Kardashian clan (he designed Kim's wedding dress and was one of the first to embrace Kanye as a serious fashion figure), or the transgender model Lea T, they are all part of Tisci's extended family. Celebs and figures definitely distant from Burberry's uptight elegance and whispered sensuality. In order to relaunch the brand, Burberry had chosen testimonials belonging to the English upper class, first of all precisely Cara Delevigne. Now Tisci has to balance Burberry's clean and refined imagery with his more excessive and outrageous aesthethic. A contemporary, multiracial, cool and modern England perfectly embodied by Adwoa Aboah, who will certainly continue to take Burberry into the 21st century.  

With the support already demonstrated by Nicki Minaj, Naomi Campbell and Beyoncé, Riccardo Tisci is ready to conquer the world with his new Burberry.