Christopher Bailey’s autumn/winter collection for Burberry was an indulgence of British luxe with a ‘seasonless’ modern appeal. We take an in-depth look at the new era of Burberry that is changing the face of the business of fashion as we know it.
By Aishwarya Tyagi
Burberry a/w16
It’s a crispy cold afternoon in London and the velvety green show space of Kensington Gardens is bustling with A-listers and fashion influencers from around the world, waiting to see the most anticipated a/w16 presentation of the season. With much talk about the new wave of Burberry’s fashion and business plans, including a merger showcasing mens and womens fashion together, Christopher Bailey is leading innovative change at a time of flux in the fashion industry.
Burberry a/w16
“Its a patchwork of the things I really love”, the words from the designer that sum up the essence of the show. The season’s collection is all about mash-up and amalgamation of classic tailoring and bold prints with a heavy dose of Seventies disco. The standout pieces included blanket coats in plaid scarves, military outerwear with bold button details, oversized shearlings, duffle coats and parkas, Mitford-sister era gowns and a bevy of rainbow-hued snakeskin dresses, sequin minis and metallic brocade separates.
Bailey has his eye on the future. Embracing the digital age, Burberry has been a trailblazer in the luxury industry, navigating through the global change with its new direct-to-consumer business model and its wide multi-media reach with live streaming of shows, a Snapchat account giving the audiences exclusive scoops and a partnership with Apple TV along with a far-reaching presence on across social media, generating unparalleled excitement amongst young customers.
Is this the beginning of the end? Will the future generations live-stream the latest show and head to the store the same day to purchase the collection without the excrutiating six-month wait?
