It’s expressive in more ways than one. On a black leather coat, hundreds of tiny faces smile, frown, and stare blankly as they bounce with every step. They’re embellishments, clattering against each other as the model quite literally wears her emotions—loud enough to irritate, yes, but enviable in her beautiful honesty.
At London Fashion Week, Burberry gets creative. The faces come courtesy of Celia Birtwell, the legendary British textile designer whose playful prints became fixtures of the ’60s and ’70s through her work with Ossie Clark. Creative director Daniel Lee is having fun this season, and Birtwell makes herself right at home.
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This isn’t really a collection that leaves our jaws dropped per se, as the silhouettes this time around remain at ease, but we appreciate how much room Burberry gives Birtwell. Her art breathes more life into the lineup. Much of S/S27’s charm stems from the human hand, with Birtwell’s hand-painted checks and flowers retaining all their irregularities as they make their way onto the garments.
The color palette deserves praise, too, with pops of chartreuse and yellow standing alongside periwinkle and old rose. There’s a balance to how the hues are used. Brighter shades get their moment without overwhelming the rest.
What we like the most is how freely Lee lets all of this exist. There’s no need to make a grand statement out of every flower or peculiar detail when they already make the clothes a pleasure to look at. Burberry has plenty of history on its shoulders, but S/S27 doesn’t feel obligated to bear all that weight with it.
Photos: BURBERRY (via Instagram)
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