Englishman Daniel Lee succeeds Riccardo Tisci as artistic director of Burberry

A mobilizing industry, the international media look for the slightest news: fashion weeks often choose houses to make important announcements. So it’s only natural that Burberry decided to announce the appointment of Englishman Daniel Lee as artistic director on Wednesday, September 28, in the middle of Paris Fashion Week and just two days after its Spring/Summer 2023 show in London.

A meeting that marks the end of the collaboration between Riccardo Tisci and the English house. Rumors of the departure of the Italian, who has been at the helm of style for nearly five years, have been rife in recent weeks. A leading American newspaper Women’s casual wear An article in this direction was already published on August 30. At the hangar on the outskirts of London where the parade took place on Monday, September 26, the nervousness among the teams was palpable. Smiling and jovial, Tishi, 48, nevertheless told the press that the collection, inspired by the beaches of the British coast, was “His Strongest” since his arrival.

Armed with his gothic aesthetic and thirteen years at Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci breathed new life into Burberry, modernizing the nondescript tartan and injecting a heavy dose of streetwear into the British codes of the house, founded in 1856 and world-renowned for its classics. trench coats. “Ricardo played a central role in the repositioning of Burberry. It strengthened our creative language, modernized and elevated our product offering and attracted a new generation of luxury consumers to our brand.says Jonathan Akeroyd, the label’s CEO, in a press release.

temptation and confrontation

He will therefore be replaced on Monday, October 3 by designer Daniel Lee, who will oversee all future collections. “I am honored to join Burberry, he said in a statement. Together with the team, we will write an exciting new chapter for this legendary house, building on Ricardo’s legacy. I am delighted to be back in London, a city that has always inspired me. »

Born in Bradford, England, Lee graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martins School in London. The 36-year-old worked for Celine, Maison Margiela and Balenciaga before joining Bottega Veneta in 2018. It was within this Italian label that he really showed his talent. We have to acknowledge him for his undeniable propensity to seduce the younger generations, his strong and easily recognizable creations and his excellent work on bags, under the threat of war for luxury houses. According to Kering’s 2019 annual report, published in February 2020, her bag was the fastest-selling bag in Bottega Veneta’s history.

His departure from the brand in November 2021 surprised the industry, despite some controversy. In January 2020, it made the decision to shut down the brand’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Then, in April 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, the house organized a party next to the parade at a club in Berlin, which was then under curfew. At the time, several videos were leaked on social media and sparked controversy.

After his hasty departure from Bottega Veneta, persistent rumors suggested that Lee was particularly difficult with his employees. A reputation that doesn’t seem to cool the house of Burberry. The first collection signed by Daniel Lee for the brand will be presented at London Fashion Week in February 2023.