Daniel Lee Makes His Burberry Debut with an Ode to British Heritage Fashion

Feb 21

Designer Daniel Lee just made his debut at Burberry with a highly his anticipated collection. Burberry, a luxury brand that has been in the industry for a long time and has seen many rebrands and changes. Coming into the brand as its creative director, Lee, is aware of this and for this collection he pulled from Burberry’s rich British heritage and history.

He was clearly inspired by various British fashion cultures and archetypes such as punks and the English Rose. It was clear that Lee wanted to emulate and create an ode to the very British styles and trends that Burberry has been a part of for so long. About the collection, Lee said, “I find it very British. It makes me think of the park and Burberry is an outdoors brand associated with the rain and protection. And the brand is about functionality.”

Even before the collection, Lee had already started to make changes to the brand, bringing back Burberry Prorsum along with the equestrian logo and original Burberry lettering. He designed a nod to this logo by putting it on some dresses in the collection. Lee was also able to pull from the classic tailoring elements that Burberry is known for including plaid and check patterns, bringing back classic Burberry wear and motifs.

He also brought new designs to the brand blending heritage and timeless trends with modern ones. For instance, he included new variations on the classic Burberry trench coat style with a change in the iconic plaid pattern into new and fresh colorways. The plaid was blown up and changed per garment or accessory making every garment look different bringing something new to the table. He was not afraid to experiment with bright colors, new accents and silhouettes.

The garments also had several accents including faux fur, feathers and roses, elements that the luxury brand does not do quite as much. The feathers were seen on tops, dresses and coats, cascading across them in an organized fashion. Outerwear also had a touch of faux fur, adding extra details to the garment.

From his career at Bottega Veneta, he was able to promote and popularize the brand's leather goods with eye-catching colors and textures. Lee has mastered accessories and is bound to make Burberry a fashion house known for them. The collection was full of various bag styles mimicking the garments with faux fur, leather and other details, all with Burberry’s “B” logo. The shoes were the same with various boot and heel styles covered in different fabrics and textures.

With his fashion expertise and fresh outlooks, Burberry under Lee is sure to be a brand to watch. He was able to honor the brand while also reinventing it and use his expertise and experience with Bottega Veneta to make this collection. He pushed Burberry outerwear while upgrading and utilizing accessories for the brand. Now, Burberry is entering a new era. His debut with the luxury fashion house will be one of the most memorable moments during London Fashion Week.

Here are the best looks from the show: