Burberry has revealed it’s first campaign under new Chief Creative Officer Daniel Lee. Last September, it was announced that Daniel Lee, Creative Director of Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta would be replacing Riccardo Tisci. 2 weeks ahead of his runway debut at London Fashion Week, Daniel Lee has revealed a new identity and logo for the British luxury house – modern and steeped in Britishness.
Renewing a conversation with modern Britain, and leveraging on national identity, the new campaign shot between Trafalgar Square and the Albert Bridge stars a cast of diverse British talent. Musicians John Glacier, Shygirl and Skepta, actor Vanessa Redgrave, models Lennon Gallagher (son of Oasis’ Liam Gallagher) Liberty Ross, and Chelsea footballer Raheem Sterling are the stars of the new campaign photographed and filmed by yet another British talent, Tyrone Lebon.
Although the visual rollouts didn't reveal any of Lee’s new designs, they featured a curated edit of existing products involved in conceptualising the campaign and first creative expression of the brand by Lee. Unfortunately, we wont be able to catch a glimpse of Lee’s designs until his highly anticipated debut runway collection at London Fashion Week on the 20th of February. Best known for his minimalist and sleek designs, Daniel Lee’s approach to fashion is characterised by clean lines, minimal embellishments and a strong focus on tailoring and construction. He has a unique talent for creating contemporary, yet timeless pieces that are both practical and stylish.
Revisiting the Burberry archives, Lee pays tribute to the British fashion house by means of a refreshed all-new logo and typeface designs. The new typeface reintroduces the traditional Burberry lettering in a thinner yet elongated font fully contradicting and reverting back from the bold sans-serif logo commissioned under Marco Gobbetti and Tisci. In 2018, Riccardo Tisci also removed the equestrian knight of Burberry’s identity and instead worked with British art director Peter Saville to introduce a new monogram logo in capital letters, featuring the founder Thomas Burberry's initials TB interlocked.
Now, Burberry’s famous equestrian emblem is once again introduced by Lee, who offers a new illustrative take in white and deep blue hues. Widely recognised as one of the most iconic logos in the fashion industry, the equestrian knight was first introduced in 1901 as a winning entry of a public competition, it featured a knight on horseback, surrounded by the brand name “Burberrys.” The design was inspired by Thomas Burberry, the founder of the brand, who was a keen horseman and sportsman, and last updated in 1999, when the brand dropped the letter ‘S’ from its name, switching from Burberrys to Burberry.
Lee’s new logo also features the Latin word “prorsum” meaning “forward” or “forwards”. Borrowed from Christopher Bailey, then Chief Creative Officer and CEO, Burberry Prorsum – the key signature diffusion line for Burberry throughout the early 2000’s to early 2010s, was discontinued in 2015 and absorbed back into the main line. The equestrian knight design was originally used to adorn the label of Burberry's gabardine raincoats and quickly became synonymous with the brand's heritage and quality.
Now, in a tribute to the brand's heritage and roots, it appears that designer Daniel Lee has acquired instant credibility by understanding the houses’ codes and choosing to bring Prorsum back as a sign of Burberry's commitment to moving forward and always looking to the future. A nod to the brand's rich history and its commitment to innovation and progress, it represents Burberry's willingness to take risks, embrace change and continue to evolve and grow as a luxury fashion house.
“Burberry flies the flag for Britishness and for the UK and for culture. So, we have to use our platforms because we have a responsibility to communicate those things,” Lee told Vogue Runway in December. “I don’t know if this is the right way to say this, but more than surprising people, I really would like them to see the new vision and feel reassured — like, ‘Oh, yeah, this makes sense: This is what Burberry should be’.”
Although the visual rollouts didn't reveal any of Lee’s new designs, they featured a curated edit of existing products involved in conceptualising the campaign and first creative expression of the brand by Lee. Unfortunately, we wont be able to catch a glimpse of Lee’s designs until his highly anticipated debut runway collection at London Fashion Week on the 20th of February. Best known for his minimalist and sleek designs, Daniel Lee’s approach to fashion is characterised by clean lines, minimal embellishments and a strong focus on tailoring and construction. He has a unique talent for creating contemporary, yet timeless pieces that are both practical and stylish.
Revisiting the Burberry archives, Lee pays tribute to the British fashion house by means of a refreshed all-new logo and typeface designs. The new typeface reintroduces the traditional Burberry lettering in a thinner yet elongated font fully contradicting and reverting back from the bold sans-serif logo commissioned under Marco Gobbetti and Tisci. In 2018, Riccardo Tisci also removed the equestrian knight of Burberry’s identity and instead worked with British art director Peter Saville to introduce a new monogram logo in capital letters, featuring the founder Thomas Burberry's initials TB interlocked.
Now, Burberry’s famous equestrian emblem is once again introduced by Lee, who offers a new illustrative take in white and deep blue hues. Widely recognised as one of the most iconic logos in the fashion industry, the equestrian knight was first introduced in 1901 as a winning entry of a public competition, it featured a knight on horseback, surrounded by the brand name “Burberrys.” The design was inspired by Thomas Burberry, the founder of the brand, who was a keen horseman and sportsman, and last updated in 1999, when the brand dropped the letter ‘S’ from its name, switching from Burberrys to Burberry.
Lee’s new logo also features the Latin word “prorsum” meaning “forward” or “forwards”. Borrowed from Christopher Bailey, then Chief Creative Officer and CEO, Burberry Prorsum – the key signature diffusion line for Burberry throughout the early 2000’s to early 2010s, was discontinued in 2015 and absorbed back into the main line. The equestrian knight design was originally used to adorn the label of Burberry's gabardine raincoats and quickly became synonymous with the brand's heritage and quality.
Now, in a tribute to the brand's heritage and roots, it appears that designer Daniel Lee has acquired instant credibility by understanding the houses’ codes and choosing to bring Prorsum back as a sign of Burberry's commitment to moving forward and always looking to the future. A nod to the brand's rich history and its commitment to innovation and progress, it represents Burberry's willingness to take risks, embrace change and continue to evolve and grow as a luxury fashion house.
“Burberry flies the flag for Britishness and for the UK and for culture. So, we have to use our platforms because we have a responsibility to communicate those things,” Lee told Vogue Runway in December. “I don’t know if this is the right way to say this, but more than surprising people, I really would like them to see the new vision and feel reassured — like, ‘Oh, yeah, this makes sense: This is what Burberry should be’.”
