As Christopher Bailey bowed of from Burberry earlier this year after a stunning 17-year tenure, it seems to me that Burberry has finally caught up with time. That was not to suggest anything negative about the brand in the past. Innovating with a heritage as bulky and momentous as Burberry, as everyone would figure, can be tricky. Transformation takes time.
His departure marked a culmination of all his team’s efforts to modernize the brand and it was not until those most recent seasons was Burberry a renewed visage. Bailey’s farewell show set out to deliver a phenomenal message that rose above mere fashion. Though many elements such as the graffiti patterns, the pvc coats, and the transparent bags revealed strong references to current trends, Burberry remained itself in the sea of the high-street developments.
And once a bird takes off, it soars. Burberry is one of the first designers to experiment see-now-buy-now. Despite its logistic risks and readjustments, I’m a strong believer. Like Bailey pointed out at an interview with WWD, as Burberry transformed from being a predominantly licensed company to a direct-to-consumer company, “it’s making sure that we don’t lose our courage and our curiosity to try new things” that remained his long-term goal.
I’m now keen on seeing how Riccardo Tisci handles the brand next.
No Comments