Putting the Heart and Soul into Summer
Review of Burberry Spring 2027 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
Burberry, like Britain, comes alive in the Summertime. Because while the natural season for a Trenchcoat would be winter or fall, there is so much more to play for when picnics, festivals, or weddings provide rich pickings for translucent trench’s, embroidered resort sets, plaid anoraks, and sequin-strewn skirts.
Daniel Lee has found his soul, and his stride, for summer 2027 with the handmade highlighted and an acceptance of the lived-in look reflecting the ease at which the Burberry customer now wears the brand. Something that the marketing team have picked up on in recent years and used to weave a very British narrative into their campaigns that has included settings the scene in ‘greasy spoon’s’, on top of double-decker buses, and at the infamous summer festival – sans rain. This effort has not gone unnoticed as the markets have been buoyed by the turnaround taking place which has convinced the aspirational customer to consider the brand once more, through the lost art of relatability.
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
I think what we’re all searching for when we buy a luxury garment is something that we have an emotional attachment to. It’s not a necessity, it’s an emotional thing. So, for me the ruffles, the imperfections, they ultimately made things feel more human.
Daniel Lee, Creative Director, Burberry
Distilling down the spirit of summer, the designer spoke backstage of starting this collection by tapping legendary British textile artist Celia Birtwell. Who, along with her late partner in life and business – Ossie Clark – was instrumental in defining the visual look of bohemian London in the 1960s/70s.
The graphic, linear patterns that have dominated previous seasons were replaced with joyful prints, inspired by Birtwell, that gave off a whimsical, playful mood. Ginghams, smiley faces and stripes that if you looked close enough revealed themselves as nautical rope. And in working together Lee and Birtwell found a reciprocity, as he revealed “When we first met, she said she was really inspired by the check.”
Faces that were reminiscent of the smiley face from the days of Acid house raves were splashed across slouchy knits and created a fun foray into ASMR when casino-style ’Smiley’ chips made from leather adorned outerwear and a pair of slingback shoes. A print that was part of a package sent over to the designer, who later discovered that it had never been used commercially, yet knew the instant he saw it that it belonged in the collection “I was like, wow, that’s just so optimistic, so joyful.”
The fabric foundations also tapped into the lighter mood with ‘airy fabrics’ such as taffeta and washed silks. In contrast to the recent men’s season and its transparent fabrics that were presented through a technical lens, as a way to provide a scientific solution to the changing climate. Here ‘parachute-like’ fabrics were designed to look and feel unrestrained and create naturally voluminous shapes around the wearer.
British eccentricity was proudly on display for summer 2027. A mindset that is distinct to the island, yet has been transported worldwide – from David Bowie to Gilbert & George. Bringing together a collage of ideas that effortlessly work together. A celebration of imperfection said Lee “I think that’s me. I like when people don’t feel perfect.“ Contrasting patterns such lines and checks inspired by Birtwell’s stylistic hand-drawn prints, were piled on top of one another. Texture was turned up to the max as multi-coloured pom-poms, pearlescent scale-like pailettes, and 3D tufted florals were to represent the best of British craftwork. Outerwear and signature raincoats were ‘engineered for a sense of lightness’ with rigid structure less of a concern than in seasons past. The simplicity of the silhouettes allowed for the craft techniques to come to the fore. But the boxier shapes, the removal of collars, the slouch of the leather boots gave the looks an edge, to stop it from becoming too pretty in its use of florals and pastels. “I’m always searching for a bit of an edge, a bit of London, because that’s what London fashion is” said Lee.
The choice of today’s show location was also part of an intentional effort to connect. The Chelsea College of Arts, outside of it being a British institution, brought together several interconnected threads, including that it was the setting for the brands London homecoming in 2010. Founder, Thomas Burberry’s granddaughter studied window dressing at the College, and this collections creative collaborator Celia Birtwell taught there in the early 1980s.
THE WRAP UP
This summer collection has conveyed Daniel Lee’s understanding of the need to balance creative vision with commerciality. Sure to align with CEO Joshua Schulman – whose background includes time spent at Micheal Kors and Coach.
And one of the marks of a great show is if it can onboard the audience into picturing themselves in each look with ease. But, what Lee also created was aspiration, (a concept that has been seemingly abandoned by many luxury brands) that was a reflection of the breadth of the Burberry customer, from the HNWI client to rappers (friend of the house Central Cee walking the show was reminiscent of Fakemink at Gucci). It is quite a feat to design for this wide a base, but it also speaks to the appeal of the Burberry brand that is not bound by age, race, gender, or class. A sentiment that was also carried through in today’s casting choices as Lee said “The joyful approach extends to casting, where ‘rather than imposing a uniform look, we wanted each person’s individuality to be pushed, accentuated, heightened,”
Burberry has a myriad of entry points to buy into the brand, and through Lee’s cohesive creative vision, that doesn’t compromise on concept, he is bringing the heritage brand back from the brink, one collection at a time.
