Welcome back, Burberry

The Burberry show that closed the London Fashion Week yesterday (which generally saw a return to form for the English scene) was a demonstration of how a change of CEO can influence a brand's aesthetic and the work of its creative director. Since his arrival last July, Joshua Schulman has imposed on the major British brand a sharp and timely change of direction: out with misplaced modernisms and nightlife temptations, out with streetwear and avant-garde inclinations, and in with Burberry's tradition. The English brand, founded in 1856 and known for its trench coats and scarves, has over time expanded its heritage into the vast world of British outerwear and knitwear, where its true wealth lies – so why push it into territories that don’t suit it? Last night, this renewed sense of tradition culminated in a course correction that, through more “sincere” and less glam campaigns and a renewed focus on Burberry’s true strong categories, finally allowed Daniel Lee's talent to shine. The collection presented yesterday was finally in line with Burberry’s identity, carrying a distinct and familiar flavor of Christopher Bailey's style (his FW08 menswear collection still remains a benchmark of excellence for the brand), but with updates and silhouettes that not only made Lee’s signature recognizable but also prevented this alignment with the brand’s golden era from sounding repetitive. In other words, Burberry is back.

The most memorable and subtle detail of the collection was perhaps Kit Butler's look, one of the first to walk out, showcasing a new way of displaying the Burberry check: peeking out from under the hem and the rolled-up sleeves of a heavy button-neck sweater, the pattern appeared with an extremely subtle branding that brought freshness to a motif usually prominently featured. Other variations of the check repeated in very dark colors on shoes, trousers, sweaters, and, of course, scarves. The frequent presence of the blue rose, pinned to lapels and also printed on a t-shirt beneath a fur-lined coat, seemed to be Lee’s way of telling us he had not disavowed his past collections—just as many nods to designs evidently favored by Lee appeared in the form of an oversized poncho entirely covered with wool strands falling in long braids; as well as maxi-scarves, vast glossy leather parkas with fur collars, and, of course, all the final looks and long dresses adorned with very long fringes. The only probable misstep, though in line with the collection's boho-chic style, was an excess of velvet looks covered in damask-like prints which, while evoking English eccentricity, felt a bit heavy—almost as if cut from fabrics otherwise intended for upholstery.

Speaking of upholstery, if the brand were to sell the large wool plaids printed with masterpieces by great English landscape painters that draped the interiors of the Tate Gallery last night, it would soon recover the financial losses caused by the former CEO. All the remaining garments—and thus the vast majority of the collection—instead represented a solid nod to a tradition recognizable to Burberry Prorsum enthusiasts, resurfacing alongside the show’s opening look: a short, compact, and very warm jacket; high cuissard boots into which pinstriped equestrian trousers were tucked; a stunning parade of monumental coats; and the opulence of a sculpted trench in velvet or leather—one of these, in burgundy red leather layered over what appeared to be a yellow tracksuit, offered a perhaps unexpected but certainly interesting color combination within the collection’s overall palette. Another reference to Bailey’s style appeared in the jackets and coats from which tufts of fur emerged, halfway between military and Anglo-Saxon knight—a knight who, in fact, was present at the show as the brand’s new unofficial mascot and even took a selfie with Anna Wintour.

Armigers aside, Lee’s style—with his large structured lapels, layered collars, and delightful sense of fabric texture—finally shone as it should, certainly better directed by a CEO who knows where to place his bets. He also introduced subtle styling and design touches that were particularly interesting: many looks, for example, featured shirt collars visible beneath coats, designed with a more rectangular shape and a contrasting outline, cut in a silk reminiscent of pajamas; and there was even a leather belt worn on the outside to fasten both a coat and an oversized scarf. As a final thought beyond the show itself, considering this collection, we hope the rumor of Daniel Lee moving to Jil Sander is false—it took the designer two years to find the right tone for Burberry, and now that he has, his departure would be a shame. But to know what will happen, we simply have to wait. In the meantime, let’s enjoy this moment of renewed hope for the beloved British brand.