Burberry’s new creative director Daniel Lee made his debut at London Fashion Week

Catherine, Princess of Wales, brings royal glamor – and Zara earrings – to the BAFTAs red carpet.

The much-anticipated event, attended by VIPs including Naomi Campbell, Bianca Jagger, Skepta and Anna Wintour, marked a homecoming for the Bradford, West Yorkshire lad who previously held the senior creative role at Italian label Bottega Veneta.

Speaking to reporters after the rally, Lee said he wanted to “celebrate what’s great in the country.”

“I’ve always been so inspired by what’s so special about London and why I’m so happy to be back here. When you walk down the street you see people from all walks of life living together and that’s me.” I miss you.”

And it seems in this spirit that Lee created the first collection for the brand. The new vision for Burberry is not a return to traditional British sartorial cues – the beige trench was all but gone – but rather an attempt to push the label into a more sober space.

English mustard yellows, deep purples and reds and royal blue needles formed the basic color palette for the collection, with bomber jackets and slouchy, tartan-inspired kilts draped over trousers. One can imagine London Fashion Week’s designated punk Vivienne Westwood’s death priest giving the show a thumbs up.

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But for this debut to be a real success, Burberry needs a wider endorsement.

New chief executive Jonathan Akerroyd has made clear his ambition to grow the British fashion house – and one of the remaining independent luxury labels – into a £5 billion ($6 billion) megabrand.

Lee’s appointment is a key pillar of this strategy, given the British designer’s transformational and commercially successful influence at Bottega Veneta, as well as his impressive CV at Maison Margiela, Balenciaga, Donna Karan and Céline.

At Bottega, Lee has made a strong mark with his modern approach to classic leather goods, particularly the pocket clutch – a celebrity favorite – and the cassette bag.

On Monday, accessories debuted on the runway, organized by shoes and bags, many of which were playfully embellished with faux fur. Thin work boots and rubber rain boots, alongside slick suede knee-highs, were some of the shoe options Lee listed for the upcoming autumn-winter season. The bags ranged from furry, oversized shapes to classic leather saddle designs adorned with a simple lowercase “B” logo.

Checked blankets were draped over models’ shoulders and paired with comfortable and classic British Aran jumpers. The English Rose motif is not traditionally remembered as a single t-shirt, but has seen many appearances.

According to Lee, the long-sleeved tees “rose is not always red” and the term “wind of change” refers to direct change. “Change it for me, change it for the brand,” he reiterated.

At New York Fashion Week, new collections were a mix of wearable and whimsical.

While the economic fallout caused by Brexit, the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and recent leadership changes have not painted a particularly good picture of Britain to the world, Lee seems determined to remind viewers that there is more to the islands. give away.

“There’s great music, great theatre, great art here. I want to shine a light on those things and show the world a positive side of Britain.”

Top Image: Models pose for the finale at Burberry’s Fall-Winter 2023 show.

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