Riccardo Tisci is shaking up Burberry before he's even shown his first collection
With London Fashion Week kicking off today, expectation is already building around the biggest shows of the week ahead.
Top of that list is Burberry, which on Monday will show the debut collection from new chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci, who joined the company following Christopher Bailey's departure after 17 years at the helm.
The British heritage brand has long been a highlight on the LFW schedule, and Bailey's shows followed a format of sorts: live musical performances, a-list front rows and a collection built around the pillars of Burberry: elevated trenches- and a strong offering of outerwear in general- classic checks and a vast collection of leather handbags and shoes.
Even Bailey's final collection, though something of a departure mixing streetwear with rainbow-stripes and donating money to LGBTQ+ causes, ultimately stayed true to the Burberry that Bailey had built.
Which is why Riccardo Tisci's Burberry debut is so hotly anticipated. While many brands seem to change creative direction (and directors) every few years, the Burberry aesthetic has remained constant. Tisci made his name at Givenchy with a gothic-but-sexy aesthetic that's miles from Burberry's Brit staple look.
Bailey invited cool young British actors and musicians to star in his ad campaigns; Tisci's front rows were dominated by Kardashians (he even designed Kim's wedding dress). So will he be reworking the Burberry codes - or rewriting them completely?
Even before a model has stepped onto the catwalk, we have seen huge changes to the brand. Last month, Tisci revealed the new logo and monogram, designed by Peter Saville. Last week, the company - which has in the past had shows picketed by PETA - revealed it would no longer be using fur in its collections. And now the first Tisci-designed piece of Burberry has gone on sale - a £290 black Thomas Burberry Monogram T-shirt revealed on Instagram, and available to buy via the social media site and WeChat for a 24 hour period (until midday on Friday).
Bailey was an early adopter of the See now, Buy now fashion model, but this level of immediacy heralds a new era for Burberry. The T-shirt has already been worn by Rihanna and appeared on the Instagram grids of Lily James and Matt Smith, which suggests that Tisci intends to use social media as an active marketing - and sales - tool. Notably, James and Smith worked with Burberry during the Bailey-era.
And this is just the first drop. Another limited edition capsule, including womenswear and menswear from Tisci's debut collection, will go on sale via the same platforms and at the flagship store, 121 Regent Street, at 5.30pm on September 17th, soon after the show.
A black T-shirt doesn't give much away - the brand's new direction is still very much a secret. But if Tisci's ability to make headlines with T-shirt is anything to go by, Monday's show will be big on impact.
