Alexa Chung, Jenna Coleman and Cara Delevingne lead the VIP pack at Burberry
This season’s Burberry show was always going to be something special. After all, it involved a brand spanking new venue (goodbye to Kensington Gardens and hello to Makers House at 1 Manette Street), a see now, bye now ‘seasonless’ collection and both the upcoming mens and womenswear ranges.
Plus, with stars such as Samantha Cameron, Alexa Chung and Cara Delevingne sat on the FROW, it was guaranteed to hit headlines. The fashion-forward trio weren’t the only big names to stop by Burberry’s new season shake-up show. Actresses Lily James, Frieda Pinto and Jenna Coleman were also spotted soaking in the brand’s fresh fashion as was actor Nicholas Hoult, models Edie Campbell, Erin O’Connor and Clara Paget and, naturally, Anna Wintour.
Inspired by the spirit of Nancy Lancaster’s interior and garden designs and Virginia Woolf’s novel ‘Orlando’, the seasonless collection the brand showed tonight was historic, cultural and bursting with artisanal details. One key new design showcased was The Bridle - an equestrian-inspired runway genderless bag featuring Burberry’s iconic print and buckle details.
Another top look was a jacket modelled on an 18th century military jacket. Other stand out trends included pyjama tops and a frilly Victoria inspired collar.
And don’t forget that if you liked anything from the collection - and have incredibly deep pockets - you can snap up that coveted item right away. As of 7.30pm this evening, every single item that made its way down the Burberry runway is available to buy. The Regent Street store will even stay open until midnight tonight to give eager fans the chance to get their hands on pieces fresh from the catwalk before the day is done.
But not everyone’s a fan of Burberry’s new business model, which US designers Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger are also using.
“It’s a mess,” says Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. “The reality is that you have to give people time to make their choice, to order the clothes or handbags, and to produce them beautifully so editors photograph them. If not, it’s the end of everything.”
The see now, buy now option that Burberry has offered its fans is just one sign of the avant garde vision that creative director and CEO Chrisopher Bailey has for Burberry. The luxe label was the first brand to shoot a campaign on Snapchat and also teamed up with the social media app to curate a montage of crowd-sourced images and video from fans, models and designers during the SS16 show.
Ahead of tonight’s show, Burberry encouraged visitors to its website to “explore the new runway collection via Facebook Messenger” - another new way of a fashion brand using a social media platform.
It’s almost as if Burberry, which let’s not forget is over 150 years old, is determined not to appeal stuffy and old-fashioned. We wouldn’t dare guess what’s coming next…
Lily James, Gemma Chan And Jenna Coleman Glam Up Burberry Party
