CLASSICS: Burberry AW17 — The Rakish Gent

When a fashion label becomes a brand, several things happen. Profits increase, stores open, the international customer becomes ever more important and an identify of where the brand sits in the fashion zeitgeist needs to have been set. There are pros and cons to this progress - profits increasing are surely what every brand wants but originality is often the cost. Burberry are a label that have had this criticism levelled at them over previous seasons.

Past shows have been a homage to Britain, David Hockney, 80s sportswear and so much more but essentially we were seeing (and buying) the same Mac and canvas tote bag season after season. Truth to told, it became a little boring, no matter how many front row stars took to their seats before the show started. The dual male/ female autumn 2017 show was a game changer for Burberry - a show where the art and incredible design talent at the label were given time to shine and a commercial astuteness was counter balanced by some truly breathtaking menswear.

Christopher Bailey was inspired by Henry Moore, the Yorkshire artist and sculptor famous for off-balance, curvy bronze sculptures. This source led to a roomier aesthetic than ever before and a colour palette that is usually vibrant, dominated by black, white, blue and cream. All of the favourites were of course present - trenches were roomy with thick cuffs and jumpers were slashed at the back, shoulder and front to create a whole new way of looking at the body. Whilst a large portion of the collection was unisex, the menswear aesthetic was all about the high-waisted trousers, novelty print shirts and the most incredible selection of knitwear from any brand for autumn 2017. The change in direction led to stunning results for the clothes - the deconstruction of pieces and emphasis on a previously ignored body part led to unconventional, but still wearable results. The Henry Moore reference was most obvious in the bold shapes and forms - exaggerated cuffs, abstract jackets and superbly clean and minimalist lines.

It is clear to see where the art influence comes in too. For the week following the show, Burberry opened up the show space as the Makers House - a unique and immersive experience that allowed guests to explore the clothes close up, see some of Moore’s work and take a behind the scenes look at the process of creating the collection. It was a further demonstration of how the brand is committed to exploring art and fashion in new and unique ways.

Burberry are without a doubt one of the biggest brands in the world and were a huge component in the “see now, buy now” trend that is storming fashion at the moment. For a brand that has had commercial ideas at the helm for so long, it was refreshing to see that there is still time for art and story telling.

Explore further at Burberry