Daniel Lee has been appointed to the position of chief creative officer of Burberry. The revelation, which had been expected for months, came less than 48 hours after the Italian designer Riccardo Tisci’s runway show, which turned out to be his last for the British luxury company.
The move was made official on Wednesday, which means that the British designer who went from being unknown to a fashion icon with Bottega Veneta is once again leading Britain’s largest luxury company by sales. During the fiscal year that concluded on April 2nd, the corporation brought in 2.8 billion pounds ($3 billion in current currency). It’s also the biggest shift for the home since Jonathan Akeroyd took over as CEO a few months back.
Burberry has lost the allure that once made it stand out as a luxury brand in recent years. Its performance has slipped behind that of other high-end European competitors, and it has grown more generic in appearance.
Stylist and Fashion commentator Osa wrote on twitter:
The issue with Riccardo’s Burberry is that clients have lost their sens of belonging to the house, they don’t have a solid community anymore. The narrative was truly conflicted. Also, I always wondered which designer adds his personal initials to a brand’s very own logo ?
https://twitter.com/osamachabbi/status/1575040196181041152?s=20&t=EWcDwBJLdRec2zW08ofrzw
Lee, raised concerns in the fashion industry when he suddenly left his position as creative director of Bottega Veneta, which he had converted into a success machine, in 2021. Burberry is trying to reinvent itself after experiencing moderate success under Riccardo Tisci and its former chief executive, Marco Gobbetti, so they’ve decided to bring him on board six months after Akeroyd’s arrival (a fellow Italian).
According to a statement released by the company, Lee, a native of Bradford in northern England, will join Burberry on Monday and be responsible for all Burberry collections. As part of London Fashion Week in February, he will show his first collection for Burberry on the catwalk.
“Daniel (Lee) is an exceptional talent with a unique understanding of today’s luxury consumer and a strong record of commercial success, and his appointment reinforces the ambitions we have for Burberry.”
Jonathan Akeroyd
Daniel Lee will now be responsible for directing all Burberry product lines. At London Fashion Week in February 2024, he will show his first collection on the runway.
“Riccardo has decided to leave after almost five years, during which he spearheaded Burberry’s creative transformation. Under his creative leadership, the company re-energised its brand image, introducing a new visual identity and reviving the Thomas Burberry Monogram”.
Burberry
Tisci, who succeeded Christopher Bailey as creative director, is leaving Burberry after almost five years, during which he worked to update the brand’s products and logo in an effort to appeal to a younger and more varied clientele. While Mr. Tisci was successful in his previous position at Givenchy, his tenure at Burberry was cut short due to skyrocketing prices and sleek but lifeless designs. Burberry has also severed ties to the British roots that had previously distinguished it as a premium label different from the competition.
After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, he had to postpone the debut of his spring collection at London Fashion Week. Instead, it took place on a Monday, drawing many in the fashion business back from the runways of Milan and Paris for a sombre presentation. On Wednesday, Burberry released a statement from Mr. Lee in which he expressed his delight at returning to London.
“It is a city that champions pioneering creativity and that continues to inspire me, together with the team, we will write the exciting next chapter for this legendary British luxury brand.”
