Burberry F/W 2021.22 London

Two years after his appointment at Burberry and Riccardo stills don’t understand the house he’s working for.

 

^^^ We all know, at this point, that Riccardo and Burberry are a bad fit, but I see him here being quite tightly focused, as never before. Thank God, gone are the days of those never ending shows with one hundred exits trying to appeal ladies and party-sluts at the same time.
I have always been partial to the bourgeois side of his work since his debut for this house and I am happy to see that he went all the way with it without losing edge. The outerwear is very strong and, apart from those square back panels, there are very little gimmicks in here. For me this is one of his best efforts for B.

 

It's the same old corporate fashion at its worst. All the weird visual connections to alchemy look out of place and the pieces made of fur are gross. This collection just doesn't work on any level because it's the same soulless aesthetic all over again. At least it seems that Riccardo has finally realised that his streetwear for Burberry is questionable and should be edited out.

 

I don't get Burberrys at all. The only thing I understand is the trenchcoats but nothing else makes sense. Is it high Fashion? Does it want to be Balenciaga? Or more classical, like Celine? Is it sportswear? For me nothing sticks, and while that can be a good thing in a collection where different aesthetics gel, like Dries for example, here it looks like nobody has a clear idea about what they want to do, so they do everything and as a result nothing works. It doesn't seem to matter anyway as none of this is ever in the stores.

 

This collection is the closest to what I had in mind when he has been hired. You have Tisci's essence injected into Burberry's codes. This is darker, more twisted, sexier, and sensual. Some looks reminded me of Lang then Margiela and then Owens. This is not a bad thing because I had this feeling with his past work at Givenchy too.

However... this need of being the king of the hype is quite his demise. Some looks are very heavy, some cuttings are borderline amateurs, whatever few girls had on their head should have not been produced at all and the bags were absolutely a non-event. Let's not talk about the fur earrings...

I still enjoyed it. I really like the work done on some trenches that were a throwback to his astonishing Givenchy Fall 2007 (and that made me addicted to Givenchy) and the fact that he chooses more and more an elevated Burberry than the streetwear one he tried a few seasons ago.

 

^^^ Absolutely.

Far from his best work— or the very best for Burberry: That would be Christopher in the late/early-2000s. It’s a mishmash of Helmut signatures and his own elements and still, there’s classic Burberry mushed in there. And done solidly. Some of the looks are overwrought while some, like the gold nail-head draped dress and even the simple black dress all recalling his Givenchy religiously gothy goodness are stunning. Thank the few remaining fashion gods that the obnoxious logos/monograms on basic outlet hoodies/kicks are relegated to the shops and not the presentation. If nothing else, it’s just nice to see a hint of his Givenchy women back and not trotting the kidz along.

 

Showing menswear and womenswear separately is the best idea they had. This was also a very entertaining clip to watch!

But yes, this is his best effort at Burberry. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the bourgeois stuff and his precollections (and I actually own some of his Burberry) but this feels very directional and Fashion! This is not fashion mixed with products...
The styling is still quite challenging and the designs gimmicks are useless but at least, there’s some sort of clarity and it’s easy to imagine what the commercial version of some of those pieces might look like.

And I agree with @GivenchyAddict , this is the first time it feels very « Burberry by Riccardo Tisci ».

But I still feel like he needs to be a little bit more commercial tho. It’s still a little bit too designed if it makes sense.

 

This is at least the third time I have seen this coat. Bottega, Fendi, and now Burberry.

 

Looking at this collection, my only thought is Phoebe need to comeback at Burberry. They desperate need her touch.

As for the clothes, I really like a simpler looks. It's very Burberry but with the Tisci touch. Some of the looks will be great if he didn't add unnecessary details into it. Maybe because he want to design elements to make it more sophisticate. But it only end up being complicated and contrived. The best look is look 29, it's simple and fun and that what Burberry should be.

I take this. At least there is no logo and 189 looks in one collections.

 

The best look is the patchwork nude mesh Union Jack turtleneck paired with the patchwork yellow/white Union Jack skirt.
That should be the template for his work at the house. It's classic, it's sexy, it's got a sort of late 90's/early 00/s straightforwardness. And the girl wearing it looks great, too.

This is probably one of his best collections for the house, but it's still just really not Burberry. Tisci is just too dark and too romantic for Burberry. I guess that's why I particularly like that look number 7...it's the most Burberry look he's done over these years now.

Also - honestly...the fur should be real, here. The faux doesn't look luxury.

 

^^^Hadn’t released that the “slashed” designs were Union Jacks… I just instantly thought “more Helmut snatches…”, especially the transparent yellow overlay skirt. And for that, the collection gets higher marks: Very solidly executed concept and reference. Looks like the sly and clever Riccardo of the good 'ol days seems to be waking up from his depressed corporate tenure at Burberry… And real fur would be wonderfully, supremely decadent— but he and the brand would be immediately cancelled.

If by “commercial”— meaning the very first debut preview of simple but very modern English Burberry bourgeois pieces, then absolutely: Such classic, conservative pieces would actually compliment these looks immensely. If it’s just more Nova Checks— like the one Nova Check poncho featured here, then god, no: That one look sticks out so randomly, like it’s designed by a 12yo neice just getting into fashion.

 

Looks overdesigned, there are parts that feel like a group of students doing a collaboration with Burberry.

I only like one look. The rest of the collection feels heavy and suffocating:

 

I don't hate it. Fav thing he's done at Burberry thus far & looks most like himself. The "fur" coats I could do without tho.

 

What really got me was the pattern making. Look 8 for instance is just confusing. It falls nicely, but with the asymmetrical pattern the piece just appears off and overworked. The right sleeve is adorned in those hoops and the left sleeve is just bare- it really looks strange. Add to that the unattractive neckline and uncomfortable length of the hem. Look four as well is just odd. Again, I love asymmetry when it is done correctly, but does the fitting appear off to anyone else? I would be curious to see the piece in person and feel the fabric, even the gather at the hip— an attempt perhaps to add some “class” to the piece- is so stiff that the folds are minimal and undistinguished. I am rooting for RT for what he did at Givenchy but am continuing to question his direction and aptitude to lead the house.

 

I always liked Riccardo designs but even myself doubted when they hired him for Burberry as I could swear (like many here, I reckon), would end up at Versace.
but, it’s just crossed my mind ‘no one’ (?) or I don’t remember, thought of him going to Lanvin?... just a thought that crossed my mind.

this said, I have always appreciated his classic approach of Burberry not so much all that streetwear... but there was always something lacking. now, I think he might finally be on the right track.
I’m a very solid collection IMO, I would’ve just erased those ‘ssssuns’.

and it’s a shame for the cast, I mean don’t get me wrong it was ok, but Riccardo’s use of models has always been great and it was truly missed here.

 

I like the Union Jack motif used throughout but I agree with @Fulton St Critique that the execution of these designs is quite questionable, the military inspired coats do not look as impeccable as I would expect from a brand like Burberry.

Inhaling polyester fibres isn't really my preference so I'd rather see no fur over fake fur. The medieval theme is just as unnecessary, very cheesy, the chainmail pieces are the only thing that works.

The cast I thought was alright but more mature models would've been better.

 

Its so heavy-handed, souless and overdesigned as others have mentioned. I don't see any Burberry in this save for Tartan prints, above all else it does not feel British.

 

I love the bourgeois stuff and tbh some of his more HF pieces aren’t bad. When I say commercial, I mean « simpler ». I remember in on collection the best look was a shirt dress worn with a grey trench coat (his SS20 I think) and even in the ore-collection, it was sometimes simpler.

We don’t need pants with panels, jackets with a whole wall behind, weird cuts...Because complicated clothes with a complicated styling are really hard to digest.

That’s maybe why I enjoyed his « lockdown resort » worn by his team. Even the more edgy propositions were stripped down to minimum.

I’m all for injecting his personality into Burberry. The mood and the clothes can be very Tisci but the essence of Burberry needs to be somehow practical.

Maybe he should change his stylist...