Burberry has always been the headline act of the London Fashion Week schedule, but since Daniel Lee was appointed creative director, the luxury label’s shows have perked up our ears even more as we observe how the British designer will steer the heritage brand.
Where Spring/Summer 2024 saw inspiration in the cosy refinement of garden picnics, Fall/Winter 2024 takes a more rugged muse in the wild English countryside. Naturally, protection and utility informed much of the design, with a colour palette rinsed in tones native to the landscape—deep browns and mossy greens, complex beiges and potent grey.
Taking to the archives, Lee ventured to the textile mills of Lochcarron and Donegal, where traditional craft and techniques inspired an artisanal approach to fabrics, construction and detailing that spotlight function.
“The collection is inspired by British and Irish wool and fabric, centred around protection and warmth,” noted Lee. “These pieces are made for the outdoors.”
Coats, the brand’s bread and butter, shifted in shape and texture from moleskin and leather to wool and cashmere, evoking robust elements both in aesthetic and purpose. With the aim of making clothes that “feel warm and protective” but still rouse the luxury consumer’s spending capacity, Lee’s commitment to quintessential British culture may pay off. With a market saturated with options, the Bradford-born designer chooses to revere and leverage the novel space Burberry has historically occupied on its home turf—both reflecting the needs of its people while sustaining aspiration.
And it wasn’t just the clothes that echoed the past. On the runway, veteran Burberry ambassador Agyness Deyn returned to the house’s catwalk after a years-long hiatus, appearing alongside other local heavyweights like Lily Cole, Naomi Campbell, Karen Elson, Jean Campbell, Lily Donaldson, and Edie Campbell. Lee also tapped a wave of next-gen talent, including Florence Huntington-Whiteley (brother of, you guessed it, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), Alva Claire, and activist Kai-Isaiah Jamal. Maya Wigram, Phoebe Philo‘s daughter, even closed the show.
This article first appeared originally on GRAZIA International.