Burberry Pre-Fall 2020
Riccardo Tisci’s ultimate source of inspiration since taking the helm at Burberry has been the British luxury house’s own founder, Thomas Burberry.
So for pre-fall he delved further into the archive to recreate classics or splattered the new “TB” logo everywhere, from new bag styles to puffer jackets and sporty one-piece suits.
More from WWD
His frequent trips to the brand archives were evident in the classic English shapes sprinkled through the line, like a quilted hunting jacket made cooler with a cinched-in waist and pastel shades; rugby shirts turned upside down and made into a dress, or a smart three-piece houndstooth suit paired with a chunky leather belt to add more attitude.
Tisci also continued to play with the ultimate Burberry icon, the trench, to great effect, splicing it up and adding puffer sleeves or printing graffiti all over a bold orange number. The collection had plenty of other elegant wardrobe staples too, from silk pleated skirts featuring archive prints, to sleek leather separates and capes.
But there was a different side to the lineup that was less about wardrobe classics or the house’s Britishness and more about dressing for Instagram: extra-slim jeans with big crystals and feathers on the hem; a minuscule chain-embellished corseted dress that had Irina Shayk’s name all over it, or a corseted crop top and leather pants that alluded to a custom design for Kim Kardashian.
The same approach was applied to men’s wear, where smart tailoring was mixed with some quite loud rainbow-hued puffy vests with the “TB” logo all over them, loose skater shorts and neoprene tracksuits in a camouflage pattern.
This dichotomy aligns with the idea of “designing something for everyone” that Tisci laid out from his very first collection for the label. But such wide contrasts in styles and aesthetics can risk diluting the brand’s identity or prevent customers from connecting with the brand and what it stands for on an emotional level, beyond mere product.
Launch Gallery: Burberry Pre-Fall 2020
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.