WORDS BY LUCY HARDY
It’s the one you’ve all been waiting for. Riccardo Tisci’s Burberry debut was the most highly anticipated collection of SS19 and it’s finally dropped on Farfetch. Here’s a recap of everything you need to know.
Even if you don’t know his name (but of course, you do) you’ll know his work. The Italian designer spent 12 years at the helm of Givenchy, bringing a vision of gothic glamour and cult pieces such as the Antigona bag, Rottweiler print T-shirts and Bambi graphics. He’s ahead of the curve and an influencer in the truest sense of the word. One of the first to embrace streetwear into high fashion, Tisci is credited as an early pioneer of menswear hype products – including a 2014 Nike Air Force 1 collab. Remember the trend for religious iconography in streetwear? That can be traced back to Tisci too. Kanye West in a leather kilt? Tisci. Rihanna’s opulent Diamonds tour costumes? Tisci. Beyoncé’s much-memed latex Met Gala dress? Yep, you guessed it, Tisci. So it’s fair to say that we were extremely excited to see the magic he would conjure at Burberry.
One phrase we’ve heard over and over when describing Tisci’s Burberry debut, and likely to hear many times more in seasons to come, is “there’s something for everyone”. And it’s true – in Burberry’s words it’s for “the lady and the girl, the gentleman and the boy.” The aptly named Kingdom collection pays homage to Britain’s subcultures – placing the Queen alongside punk for the first time since the Sex Pistols’ infamous God Save the Queen.
There were three parts to the collection – ‘refined,’ ‘relaxed’ and ‘evening.’ The focus of the ‘refined’ section was on tailoring, with classic trenches, pussy-bow blouses, lady-like midi-skirts, sharp suits for both sexes and beige, beige and more beige.
If ‘refined’ is for the Queen then ‘relaxed’ is for the cool kids. This was where Tisci really came into his own and displayed his love for streetwear. There were boxy shirts, vinyl trenches, slip dresses paired with creepers, cow-print mini skirts and Bambi references that nod to the designer’s Givenchy days.
What’s new?
What to do when you want to make your mark on a brand? You reinvent its logo. Raf did it at Calvin, Hedi did it at Celine and Riccardo has done it at Burberry. The reworked logo and TB monogram, designed by Peter Saville – the man behind Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures album artwork and long-time collaborator of Raf Simons ― features across leather accessories, bum bags and silk scarves.
What’s remained?
The signatures are still there. It wouldn’t be Burberry without the gabardine trench coats and the iconic check, which adorns streetwear and tailoring alike.
What should I buy?
Well, if budget permits – all of it! However, if like us you have annoying things like rent to pay then we’d recommend going for a few key pieces. The TB monogram bags, reworked trenches and everything animal print is a guaranteed classic.