21 February 2024 |
Daniel Lee is betting big on outerwear.
After a spring collection that riffed on the trench coat, Burberry’s Daniel Lee decided to continue his focus on outerwear for fall 2024. But instead of a park in Islington during the afternoon, Lee whisked us off to an evening st Victoria Park in Hackney. The crowds, which included joggers and bikers who stumbled upon the hubbub during their workouts, gathered to capture the parade of celebrity entrances (after all, last night was the BAFTAs). With the likes of Barry Keoghan, Olivia Colman, Cara Delevigne, Iris Law, and many more making appearances, the front row was especially loaded this season. Inside the massive, dimly lit tent was cozy and inviting. Fluffy fleece seating brought to mind extremely comfortable camp cots — it also served as a hint for what was to come.
Inspired by the landscapes and people of the United Kingdom and Ireland, Lee said he wanted to evoke feelings of warmth, protection, and outdoorsy elegance. Consider that successfully done since we were indeed warm, protected, and feeling elegant in the outdoors as we perched on our seats. The evening began with Amy Winehouse’s recognizable voice filling the room and it was clear that Lee was set to highlight classic British codes with a rebellious twist. Agyness Deyn opened the show in a high neck trench with matching trousers that featured plaid cuffs, which nodded towards Lee’s desire to channel traditional crafts and techniques from Donegal to Locharron. Heritage always plays a role in his work and the looks served to reinforce the message.
Beyond the trench, Lee played with the idea of field jackets and duffle coats, adding shearling, braided fringing and fleecy wool to give everything a cozy and tactile feel. The color palette was neutral and earthy — this was a return to nature as viewed through a very classic British lens. Speaking of British, the casting felt like a who’s who of every major U.K. model from the last twenty years. Besides Deyn, the show featured Lily Donaldson, Lily Cole, Karen Elson, Edie Campbell, and Naomi Campbell. But the biggest surprise of them all was who closed the show. Phoebe Philo’s daughter Maya Wigram made her runway debut, bringing to mind her mother’s signature cool with her hair tucked into the trench. And before you ask, yes, Naomi Campbell was also on the list. The super may have given Wigram the last position, but she closed the finale walk as the exclamation point to a very English night in the (sort of) country.
