Kendall Jenner and fellow super models unveiled Burberry’s new season designs at London Fashion Week on Monday, a collection that spanned everything from classic and ladylike to sexy, preppy and street-smart.
That approach — showcasing designs tailored to diverse tastes — may now be particularly important to the luxury heritage fashion brand, which has recently reported a significant dent in its business in China, a key market, due to the virus outbreak.
The signature Burberry check was ubiquitous. A three-piece women’s suit consisted of a cropped waistcoat, patchwork blazer, skin tight trousers and ankle boots, all in variations of the check. Elsewhere, there were nods to punk, such as deconstructed shirts in pink, red and lilac.
Fashion events in Asia
Design chief Riccardo Tisci also presented some sexier, sassy looks, from high-shine black vinyl to slinky dresses that hugged the body and featured strategic cut-outs. Jenner strutted in a checked bustier, layered under a semi-sheer white skirt and white boots.
The beige trench coat — an item synonymous with the brand since founder Thomas Burberry first designed it in weather-proof gabardine fabric more than a century ago — featured, of course. Some came softly draped in a timeless feminine style; others were much more flamboyant, featuring furry arms and collars.
One such head-turning outfit saw a shimmering bright lime catsuit paired with a matching coat with fluffy fur trim.
The catwalk show, which drew celebrities including Cate Blanchett to its front row, is one of the glitziest highlights of London Fashion Week.
Burberry will be hoping it goes some ways to boost business. The brand, which gets some 40% of its revenue from Chinese consumers shopping globally, has had to shut 24 of 64 stores in China as a result of the virus outbreak.
