The Third Times a Charm for Daniel Lee’s Burberry
Review of Burberry Fall 2024 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
In this his third outing for Burberry, Daniel Lee seems to have found his footing on solid ground, and if both fans of his work and customers alike can let go of the past and open their minds to what the future might hold, then this new era could be one one to watch for its slow-burn into fashions consciousness.
As if to ingratiate the brand with the viewers of this collection, Lee brought out some brand favourites from the 2000s, namely Agyness Deyn, Malaika Firth, and Lily Donaldson. Giving way to a fun sense of nostalgia, just as the brand seemed to be sailing too far away from its quintessential British roots. Familiarity can also help to breed contentment. So it looks as if the designer sought to do both with his casting for the season.
The clothes themselves were about as close to homegrown luxury as you could get, with “traditional craft and techniques from Donegal to Lochcarron, according to the show notes. Chubby furs and shearling, fringed and feathered knits, leather trimmed duffles, maxi pleated skirts, and weatherproof parkas also carried the new Burberry check which sat much better within this collection this time around in palatable shades of green and earth brown, as a nod to Lee wanting to bring the outside indoors. It is also something that those who work across the store portfolio will surely be happy about, as the check pattern is a non-negotiable tie to the brands heritage. Also of note was the styling which was particularly good this season. Layering of the high and the low, such as multi-zip details (any insider will attest to the brands stringency over its hardware development), which could be mistaken as being purely decorative, had they not been left open to reveal a leg here or a bicep there.
The outwear was the star of the show here, all at once enveloping and shrouding the wearer, it was taken back to something singular without any gimmicks (like a dropped-waist belt). It was a study on what the brand is famous for, and it worked. Accessories, such as bags and footwear, which are often the driver of profits for major luxury players, worked within the staging of the show, and were more covetable when styled up as a full outfit, which gave a more rounded of view of the creative directors plan for the category.
It truly does look like third times a charm for Lee, with some beginning to question his direction from a creative standpoint, rather than giving the designer the opportunity to put his vision in place for the brand. This can sometimes happen within a first collection as we’ve seen over the last few years, but with the way tastes can change on a whim or a scroll, allowing a creative director the time and grace they need is not always a viable strategy when annual sales figures have to be reported on and the bottom line needs to be maintained.
THE BUZZWORDS
British outdoors, sumptuous elegance, freeing the familiar
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Country girl but make it fashion, as Daniel Lee’s lemon yellow bias cut slip is given a rustic makeover with a layered knit which is exactly the way a Brit would do it, a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
The sleekness and polish of today’s collection with its chubby furs and sultry slit openings, as well as the bias cut embellished dresses, looked to lend itself more to the runways of Milan or Paris so could this be the sign that Lee should make the move across the pond? Because absence, as they say, makes the heart grow fonder.
As much as Burberry has become the tentpole show to bookend London fashion week, a move should not be off the table, as it may be the weight of the British brands heritage and showing on home turf which is colouring the opinions of critics when it comes to Daniel Lee’s time at the brand so far.
