Sun, Check, Repeat
Review of Burberry ‘High Summer’ 2026 Ad Campaign by Daniel Lee with Photographer Ryan McGinley with models Simone Ashley, Tom Blyth, Alva Claire, Babacar N’Doye, & Sacha Quenby
Burberry’s Summer 2026 campaign, under the direction of Daniel Lee, takes a nostalgic plunge into one of Britain’s most democratic pleasures: the lido. Shot by Ryan McGinley and directed on film by Francis Plummer, the campaign trades the House’s recent urban edge for sun-drenched ease, where heritage check meets chlorinated water and a distinctly British sense of summer optimism. The hook is immediate—Burberry isn’t just dressing for the weather, it’s chasing it.
McGinley’s lens captures a kinetic kind of leisure. Bodies stretch across diving boards, hover mid-air in suspended dives, or recline poolside with that languid, sun-heavy stillness that only arrives after hours outdoors. There is a deliberate looseness to the framing—slightly grainy, often sun-bleached—echoing the photographer’s early work and lending the images a sense of spontaneity, as though stumbled upon rather than staged. The cast, from Simone Ashley to Alva Claire, feels less like models and more like participants in a shared ritual of summer escape.
The Burberry check, ever-present, becomes the connective tissue between past and present. It appears on bikinis, swim shorts, and bucket hats, woven seamlessly into a wardrobe that balances familiarity with refresh. Accessories—raffia bags, slides, wraparound sunglasses—extend the narrative beyond the pool, suggesting a full day that begins with a swim and drifts effortlessly into evening. It’s a clever recalibration of the House’s codes: less about formality, more about fluidity.
What resonates most is the campaign’s understanding of cultural specificity. The lido is not just a backdrop; it is a character. It carries with it a quiet nostalgia—of fleeting sunshine, communal spaces, and the peculiarly British habit of embracing summer no matter how brief. In this sense, Lee’s vision feels authentic, tapping into something lived rather than imagined. The campaign succeeds in making Burberry feel accessible without sacrificing its identity, a balance many houses chase but rarely achieve with such ease.
Yet, for all its charm, there is a whisper of predictability in the execution. The sun-faded palette and carefree compositions, while beautiful, tread familiar ground within the broader visual language of summer campaigns. One wonders if a sharper twist—a subversion of the idyllic, perhaps—might have elevated the narrative from evocative to unforgettable. McGinley’s history suggests a capacity for this tension, but here it remains largely untapped.
Still, Burberry understands the assignment: when the sun appears, so should the brand. And in this case, it arrives right on cue—check in tow, diving headfirst into the season and reminding us that sometimes, the simplest pleasures are the most enduring.
Burberry Creative Director | Daniel Lee
Photographer | Ryan McGinley
Videographer | Francis Plummer
Models | Simone Ashley, Tom Blyth, Alva Claire, Babacar N’Doye, Sacha Quenby