Some things just make sense. Daniel Lee's latest collection as creative director of Burberry falls into this category. As a new guard of designers crystallise at London Fashion Week, Lee is undoubtedly leading the pack. In the lead up to Burberry SS24, the designer prodded our appetites with a series of well-placed city-wide rollouts; including a takeover at Norman's Cafe in North London, a beloved vendor of chips and eggs, and beans on toast, and a temporary rebrand of Bond Street tube station to read "Burberry Street". This sort of pre-show campaign is not uncommon, but it did well to convey Lee's translation of a contemporary Englishness; where cliches aren't discarded but reinvigorated. We see your vision Daniel – loud and clear!
Under the canopy of a tent erected in a park at Highbury Fields, Lee welcomed attendees to experience a slice of London outside of the usual tourist circuit. In attendance were icons like Skepta and Kylie Minogue, Burna Boy and Rachel Weisz – it was a room that reflected the melting pot of Britain, with a guest list comprising actors, rappers, athletes, artists and writers. Guests were welcomed with pockets of Eccles cake and cups of tea, setting a friendly and cheerful mood ahead of the show. No self-importance or snootiness in sight.
Speaking to RUSSH after attending the show, Kim Russell said: "Burberry was a beautifully constructed look into Daniel Lee’s life, the setting a huge tent in a field close to his home and a runway that remarked the special way he and his team convey conceptual ideas through design."
In the show notes, Lee shared how he was inspired by the idea of an English country garden, however the clothes that appeared flipped all the usual twee connotations on their head. Strawberries turned out in daubs of Yves Klein blue, and a deeper, richer grey-blue that feels luxurious when applied to leather accessories; from heeled-loafers, flip flop sandals and to-die-for lace up heels to the assortment of handbags slung over the shoulder and subtly inset with a crisp Burberry Prorsum knight.
Lee is a thoughtfully pitching a new, refreshed generation of Burberry. The Burberry Trench is a perfect example; there are no gimmicks, no deconstruction, instead a refining of the details – wider shoulders, looser silhouettes, a cropped option here and there. Nor is Lee relying solely on the Burberry Check as a brand signifier, embracing shield shapes and chain hardware as revamped insignia. We can't deny how much we like what we see: concise, fresh, a home that everyone can have a stake in.
Explore the Burberry SS24 collection, below.
