Maria Henry explores Burberry’s Spring/summer 2021 pre-collection campaign and how it represents the past and future of the brand.
In a new campaign, major fashion house Burberry chose to use its retail employees as models. The workers were shot outside their English homes, wearing an outfit from the collection that reflects their involvement with the brand and personal styles.
In a statement for Burberry, Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci explained his decision to do this: “For the lookbook, I called upon the incredible talent at Burberry to open their doors and be a part of this journey – each interpreting the looks in their own unique way outside in the landscapes of London and beyond. I am so proud of this collection which not only reflects and celebrates the unique codes that make the house, but also the diversity of talent that represents our Burberry community, bringing the magic of the Burberry world to life.”
The collection is a new take on old classics. It aims to reinvent the original Burberry staples with modernity. Though “house codes” inform the looks, new elements such as re-designed prints, tailoring with relaxed proportions and a plethora of unique accessories such as ‘the soft cube’ bag, act to bring the brand into the modern era. The classic Burberry tones of beige, birch brown, black, and grey are featured heavily, but this time dispersed by bright accents in red, yellow, and citrus shades.
“This season, I wanted to draw upon the familiar, the things that bring us comfort and strength. I returned to what first inspired me in the Burberry heritage house codes, like the check, iconic stripes and unicorn emblems, but revisited them with a new perspective, incorporating elements of both sophistication and street through the lens of the outdoors”, Tisci continued to explain.
The collection features both womenswear and menswear. For women, we see elements such as updated trench coats featuring oversized pockets, relaxed tailoring, and logo prints; vintage shirts re-invented with logo prints and looser fits; varsity appliqués on a wool barn jacket and satin bomber jacket styled with wool longline shorts, made from gabardine; and a classic Burberry plaid suit, redesigned in marigold yellow with a citrus orange argyle vest.
As for men, the brand continues to subvert the classics. An example of this is the Westminster Heritage Trench Coat which is styled for the collection with a reconstructed hoodie, scarf and drawcord shorts. The famous barn jackets are also reinvented with diamond quilting, stripes or varsity appliqués, patterned with Japanese raw denim straight leg jeans and cashmere track pants.
With this collection, Burberry continues to demonstrate its ability to change with the times and keep up to date with trends whilst maintaining its signatures and not losing track of what makes its brand unique. Inspired by both the modern community at Burberry and the legacy of Burberry’s founder, Thomas Burberry, the collection stands as a pillar between the brands past and future.
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