20 Sep

Burberry at LFW

London Fashion Week’s biggest name hints at change of direction after struggling to win over high-end shoppers.

Sometimes fashion shows are about what to wear to parties, and sometimes they are about money, national prestige, boardroom power struggles and the future of what was until recently one of Britain’s most valuable public companies.

At Burberry, London fashion week’s biggest name, the clothes on the catwalk were clues as to the next chapter in an unfolding fashion industry drama.

Burberry dropped out of the FTSE 100 this month with a valuation of £2.23bn, 56% down on what it was worth at the end of last year. In July, Joshua Schulman was installed as chief executive, a drastic attempt to reverse a long losing streak for the 168-year-old company.

The arrival of Schulman, who boosted the profits and profile of American brand Coach with affordable handbags, pointed to a change of direction at Burberry, which has struggled to win over high-end luxury shoppers. Schulman is expected to attempt to take Burberry to a wider audience, which means lower-entry price points and design that is accessible rather than avant garde.

In the foyer of the National Theatre, where a catwalk snaked past a front row packed with national treasures from Jerry Hall and Patsy Kensit to Olivia Colman and Declan Rice, the young creative director Daniel Lee provided a new twist in this tale.

Under intense pressure, Lee delivered his strongest collection to date. The fashion rumour mill holds that he is on the way out – but this was a confident collection, bold in its Burberry handwriting and refreshingly broad in appeal.

Burberry saddle bag with check detail on the strap. Photograph: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP

Checks were all over the catwalk in a collection that was bold in its Burberry handwriting and broad in appeal. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters

Backstage, Lee was bullish about the new era, enthusing about Schulman’s “American optimism, drive and positivity”. Alluding to the highly successful 00s partnership of Angela Ahrendts and Christopher Bailey, he said: “Burberry in its heyday enjoyed American CEO leadership with a British designer. Hopefully that’s a synergy we can revive.”

Customers at the accessible-luxury price point want pieces that are recognisable as designer. For Burberry, that means the check, which was all over this catwalk, in saddle bags and on tracksuits. “I really like the check,” Lee said. “I want to treat it as one of the most precious elements of the house, in the way that the trench is.”

The first piece on to the runway was a man’s jacket with trench detailing, but shortened and streamlined into a more wearable shape. The trench is a Burberry icon but men buy more jackets than coats. “We need to find smart ways to evolve Burberry beyond a runway collection to what works in stores,” said Lee. “Burberry is a coat brand, and a coat is something people invest in.”