Burberry is known for a few things – its distinctive check, its British heritage, and its affinity with the Great Outdoors. The latest AW24 runway show – the third by creative director Daniel Lee – aimed to encapsulate all three.
Closing out London Fashion Week, the British behemoth took the fashion pack to East London’s Victoria Park, to a pitched outdoor tent with shearling seating. If anyone was nursing a hangover following last night’s BAFTA Awards, you’d never know; Saltburn star Barry Keoghan rubbed shoulders with Masters of the Air co-star (and Dua Lipa’s new beau, Callum Turner), while Anna Wintour and Cara Delevingne chatted together on the FROW.
It’s been a busy few weeks for the brand; earlier this month, it kicked off Harrods' 175th anniversary with an all-encompassing takeover which saw the department store’s globally famed green-clad doormen trading in their uniforms for a ‘Knight Blue’ check. Paying homage to Burberry’s ‘heritage of exploration’, the capsule collection nodded to the great outdoors, featuring knitwear and outerwear, plus two new bags – the Chess and Rocking Horse bags – and a special ‘Camping Corner’.
Lee continued this theme with the outdoorsy-inspired collection. To a nostalgic Amy Winehouse soundtrack, he brought some of the country's most memorable model faces out of retirement. Agyness Deyn, the pinup of early 00s British fashion, opened the show, followed by Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, Karen Elson and the OG British supermodel, Naomi Campbell.
The warm and fuzzy feeling extended to the clothes. Pleated, maxi kilts were worn with cropped bombers and flat leather boots. Red checked picnic blankets were fashioned into parka lining. Coats ran the gamut from a cropped shearling jacket to a moleskin trench. Models carried umbrellas; anoraks were paired with rubber mules. Being wet and cold has never looked so good. As for the bags? Oversized arm candy is going absolutely nowhere - perfect for a picnic, or simply, women-on-the-go.
‘There’s a sense of craft in this collection. We began in the Burberry archive and the mills of Lochcarron and Donegal. I wanted to take a traditional approach to the fabrics and how each piece is made. Craftsmanship has always been at the heart of design,' said Lee. ‘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.’
