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Burberry Spring/Summer 2024 Collection: Tradition Meets Transformation
Few fashion houses exist so recognizable, so iconic, in their chosen patterns than Burberry. But, this is Daniel Lee’s Burberry, and here, tradition is transformative. In the Spring/Summer 2024 collection, the unmistakable archetypes of the house receive bold reimaginings, taking what is typical and spinning it on its head.
Refreshing the Burberry Brand
In his second line as creative director, Lee dips into the archives, artfully pulling signifiers of the Burberry brand, and breathing new life into them. Take the Prorsum Knight, for example, which jumps out in a deep royal blue shade, or the new renderings of the Burberry check, evident in fringed cashmere scarves.
The collection is among many things, British, but it honors its heritage in a way that isn’t stuffy or too buttoned up. Prints are exciting, vibrancy breathed into them by a dazzling array of colors from knight blue and sherbert to rhubarb and ivy. In the spirit of the house, Lee keeps things coordinated: every print and every color go together in a seamless, head-to-toe dance. Tops melt into trousers, outerwear gives into dresses that sit beneath them.
The Prince of Wales check–a classic rather muted print–and a houndstooth jacquard maintain sophistication, but lends itself to creativity, warping into wonky waves at the end of each piece. Here, you recognize what you’re seeing, but you don’t necessarily know it—and that’s okay. Familiarity refreshed.
Outdoorsy Twist
Leaning into his roots, the Yorkshire designer continued his celebration of all things British by focusing on the outdoors (and the accompanying outerwear) throughout the line. There’s trench coats, quilts, bomber jackets galore, as leather puffer coats feature the Equestrian knight detailing. Tall Equestrian stirrup boots meet check-print sneakers, while chunky loafers reveal barbed wire hardware. There’s even plaid-print wellies. Talk about the great outdoors.
Strong Accessories Game
For accessories, the collection offered a particularly strong showing. Centering itself on archetypes of national fashion–often designs cut close to the body–could perhaps translate some faltering on the accessories front, but not for Burberry. Turning once again to the power of motifs, Lee builds out a series of bags within the Knight family, distinguished by a bridled horse clip. The Shield Sling bag references that wonky Prince of Wales check, while the Peg bag is knitted in the familiarity of Burberry check. Jewelry also contained a nod to the house’s archives with a minimized rendering of the Prorsum knight’s metallic armor.
A Tribute that Strikes the Perfect Balance
The show itself served as a tribute to, well, a variety of things. The pillars of the British wardrobe, Burberry’s tried and true signifiers, even the national landscape that influences the designer’s work. But unlike some tributes that run the risk of appearing overdone, the Spring/Summer 2024 show nails the balance between trusting what works and pushing the envelope. Here, Burberry is traditional, yes, but, tired? Never.
Click through the gallery below to see every look from Burberry Spring/Summer 2024.
