Christopher Bailey once again showed a slick, professional collection for Burberry Prorsum Autumn Winter 2013 womenswear in the Burberry “tent” next to the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, replete with Brit pack stars and Asian celebrities.
Entitled “Trench Kisses; from London with love”, the collection was clearly inspired by the 60s London of Christine Keeler – the scandalous love-interest in the Profumo Affair – and Burberry classic Macs.
Looks from the Burberry Prorsum Autumn Winter 2013 show which featured top model Karlie Kloss (above centre) and “it” girl Cara Delevigne (above far left). Images: Burberry
With over 1,500 guests – 1,000 standing and 500 VIPs perched on buff suede campstools (apart from the front row who got padded benches) – in Burberry’s now-iconic “clear” tent; this show was, more than any other at London Fashion Week, as much about the stars and the technology, as about the fashion.
When Tom Odell, the 2013 Critics’ Choice BRIT award winner and Burberry Acoustic musician, appeared from behind a massive Burberry check screen at the end of the runway – complete with grand piano, double bass and a mini-choir – guests weren’t sure where to look; at the superstar clothes on the superstar models or at the superstar musician.
Still, the concept clearly highlighted how seamless the Burberry experience has now become. The brand has created a world in which high fashion, popular fashion, retail innovation, music, pop culture, social media and globalisation are mixed together.
While the lucky few got to experience the Autumn Winter 2013 show live, uncounted millions around the world got to be almost as close. Indeed, if you weren’t one of the 500 seated guests, people watching the show live online probably got a better view than the poor sods in the standing areas.
On top of the live-streaming experience, Burberry also launched its innovative Runway Made to Order – a service which allows you to order a custom-made bag or coat from the new collection. When it arrives you get an engraved nameplate which will link to a bespoke video whenever you wave a smart device near it. The video traces the journey of your particular item from start to finish, recording everything from original sketches to final finishing.
You can even have it “enabled to trigger its content on large-scale mirrors that turn instantly to screens at the Burberry flagship on London’s Regent Street” – yes, you can now have your bag tell you what it would look best with!
So, after the technology and the stars – we’re talking Les Miserables director Tom Hooper, actors Kate Beckinsale, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Freida Pinto, Vicki Zhao, Melanie Laurent, Michelle Dockery, Gabriella Wilde, Alinne Moraes, Alice Braga, Olivia Palermo, Douglas Booth, Harry Treadaway, Joe Dempsie and Callum Turner; musicians Rita Ora, Tinie Tempah, Jake Bugg, Dan Gillespie-Sells, George Craig, Harley Viera-Newton, Nil Karaibrahimgil, Misty Miller and even 2012 Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton, plus “it” models Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn, Karlie Kloss, Liu Wen and Charlotte Wiggins … Oh, and Anna Wintour, of course – what were the clothes actually like? And did it even matter?
Luckily the clothes were good. Bailey continues with his successful blend of the brand’s history and modern technological innovation. Coats and jackets came in everything from super-luxe laminated python print leather and cashmere jacquard knits to the sci-fi-like translucent rubber and leather-fringed metal eyelets with printed mink, silks, glossy cashmere and gabardine in-between.
Top model Karlie Kloss walking Burberry Prorsum Autumn Winter 2013 at London Fashion Week.
Image: Burberry
The colour palette consisted of regular “Burberry” tones of camel, oxblood and black enlivened with winter white – and obvious trend for the season – and great big chunks of gold as either hardware-style jewellery added to coats and column dresses, or as detailing on the leather, gabardine and cashmere pieces. Even the shoes came in the bold animal prints – think giraffe rather than leopard – slapped with great gold embellishments.
Actually, the shoes were wonderful; low, wedges, and with elegant pointed toes, there were all sorts of versions both in prints and block colours but all with great “brogue” like detailing and that substantial bit of buckle.
For bag lovers, there are a few new items to covet; the Crush bag looks a bit like a squashed up paper bag in the smaller size or a full pillow case in the larger version, but the luxe leathers, calfskin and fabrics make it the perfect casual accessories for practically any occasion; you could practically see “seasonal must-have” written all over it.
There were all so awesome animal print sunglasses – yes, another “die die, must buy” accessory for the Autumn Winter 2013 season, as well as amazing metal band belts that will add a touch of minimal luxury to any simple outfit.
As always, the core of the collection centred on the trench coat shape – mostly in a fitted, slimmer double-breasted silhouette, but with some more boxy, 60s shapes as well. Despite the embellishment, the overall feel of the pieces was in fact almost minimal; below-knee pencil skirts, shell tops, shift dresses and slim cropped trousers.
Other than the animal prints, there were also wide horizontal stripes and the “heart” print that Bailey debuted during his menswear collection, adding interest and texture to the simple, early 60s shapes.
Once again Bailey has created a collection of wearable classics with a modern, technological twist, that will be instantly recognisable; the Burberry aesthetic. Add in the “super luxe” elements of its new runway bespoke service and Burberry Prorsum appears to be growing into a brand that might one day give some of those “haute couture” houses a run for their money.
The Burberry Prorsum Runway Made to Order service offers custom-made coats and bags and is available via uk.burberry.com/store/womenswear/aw13-runway or or by appointment in selected stores globally for an exclusive period of 2 weeks until Sunday, March 3, 2013.
WATCH THE BURBERRY PRORSUM AW13 RUNWAY SHOW:
Burberry Prorsum clothing and accessories are available in Singapore from the Burberry flagship store at ION Orchard; Burberry Prorsum accessories only are also available at the Burberry stores at Marina Bay Sands and Paragon Shopping Centre. Burberry Prorsum clothing and accessories are are also available online at sg.burberry.com/store. Follow Burberry on Facebook at www.facebook.com/burberry and on Twitter and Instragram at @Burberry.
