For Burberry’s first public show since February 2020, Riccardo Tisci, artistic director since 2018, saw things big. It was in Central Hall Westminster in London, a historic building located opposite Westminster Abbey, that he presented his new mixed autumn-winter 2022-23 collection to some three hundred guests on Friday 11 March. This imposing place is today a conference center as well as a Methodist church, but it housed some of the key moments in history: the first meetings of the suffragette movement in 1914 or the first General Assembly of the Nations United, in February 1946. “ I did not choose this place for its historical or religious connotations, even if, in the past, religious symbols were able to nourish my collections. I see this parade as a celebration, and it’s important to celebrate the important things in spectacular places, right? » details Riccardo Tisci, during an interview just after his show.
The staging resembles that of an intimate banquet, almost like a family celebration. No front row regulatory: the guests are all standing, crowded together in front of the stage, under the huge ornate dome and the organ located high up. The celebrities are housed in the same boat: we see in the ranks the top models Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell or Carla Bruni. The actors of the moment, Adam Driver – muse of the label’s new men’s fragrance – or Jacob Elordi, star of the series Euphoria, are also there.
Several large round tables are set up in the middle of the assembly, plates, cutlery and salt shakers wisely arranged. Installed in the balconies, the London Contemporary Orchestra, accompanied by a hundred singers, sets the tone by taking up compositions by Max Richter or Philip Glass. The procession of models begins: descending from the stage, they then climb on the tables, making their way among the guests. It is rare during a fashion show to see the clothes so close, the sleeve of a coat or the tail of a skirt grazing the guests.
Climbing the tables in a gala dress
The wardrobe, whether masculine or feminine, is working to redefine the essence of Burberry, with the Tisci signature: tartan patterns invite themselves on pleated skirts or quilted jackets, the codes of the trench- coat are applied to a series of deconstructed strapless dresses. Short waxed cotton jackets are combined with strict blouses, pencil skirts or high thigh boots. The men wear trapeze skirts to match their suit jackets… “ It takes time, when you join such a large company and which means so much to a country, to build your identity. Especially in a country like England which is so attached to its traditions. There is a real sense of style here, whether aristocratic or punk, it’s this duality that interests me. », details the Italian designer. The locker room exposes this opposition in a perfectly mastered way.
“My mission was to put the brand on the luxury map, while addressing the younger generations. Now that it’s done, it’s time to play.”
Riccardo Tisci
The day before the show, Burberry unveiled a collaboration with the cult streetwear brand Supreme, creating long queues for the occasion in front of London and Paris stores. “ Collaborations amuse me a lot. I’ve done some in the past with Nike, Comme des Garçons, or even with Vivienne Westwood two months after I started at Burberry. When I joined the house, my mission was to place the brand on the luxury map, while addressing the younger generations. Now that’s done, it’s time to play.” the creator has fun about this new opus with Supreme. In the coming weeks, Briton Jonathan Akeroyd, former CEO of Versace, will take over the reins of Burberry, replacing Marco Gobbetti who is preparing to leave for Ferragamo. A game of musical chairs that will undoubtedly give new impetus to the British brand and to Riccardo Tisci, who seems to have found his cruising speed under the Burberry flag.
