It's official. Daniel Lee – the former Creative Director of Italian luxury fashion House, Bottega Veneta – has been announced as the newly-appointed Chief Creative Director of Burberry. The news has come just a couple of days after Riccardo Tisci, the current Chief Creative Director of Burberry, presented his belated Spring Summer 23 collection in London.

The House announced the news late this afternoon, sharing two seperate press releases to announce Tisci's departure and Lee's appointment. Speaking on the news of the brand's new Chief Creative Director, Jonathan Akeroyd, CEO of Burberry, commented: “I am delighted that Daniel is joining Burberry as our new Chief Creative Officer. Daniel is an exceptional talent with a unique understanding of today’s luxury consumer and a strong record of commercial success, and his appointment reinforces the ambitions we have for Burberry. I am excited about working closely with him and I am confident he will have the impact we are aiming for in this next phase, supported by our talented and experienced teams.”

For anyone who has followed Lee's recent seismic reign, they'll be well acquainted with his unofficial title as a master of total brand transformation. We saw this take place in real time, during his appointment at Bottega; transforming the luxury House into one of the most talked about brands of the last decade. Tisci was tasked with a similar goal when he joined Burberry almost five years ago – spearheading a creative transformation that cemented a brand so deeply rooted in House codes, into the now.

In 2022, it's exciting to see brands becoming more flexible with how they acknowledge and reframe their traditional identities. The appointment of Lee, following on from an energy like Tisci, is the only confirmation we need that Burberry is already thinking steps ahead. The biggest question of all, of course, is when will Lee debut his first collection under the House? Thankfully, we won't have to wait too much longer, with Burberry confirming his debut runway collection will be at London Fashion Week in February 2023.

"I am honoured to join Burberry as Chief Creative Officer. Together with the team, we will write the exciting next chapter for this legendary British luxury brand, continuing its historic heritage and building on Riccardo’s legacy," shared Lee. "I am very excited to be returning to London, a city that champions pioneering creativity and that continues to inspire me.”

Born and raised in Bradford, England, this is Lee's homecoming.