Daniel Lee - Designer, Creative Director of Burberry

[perhydrol]

Timeless British luxury expression? Burberry literally released a dupe of the viral Uniqlo bag, covered in obnoxious check.

 

[Grets]

Not a single mention of Daniel Lee in the article.

 

[Thefrenchy]

Schulman is going to take a bow at the end of the next show at this point.

 

[FashionPower]

Why do you need a fashion show when the website main page features:
- Check print windbreaker
- Check print t-shirt
- Equestrian knight print t-shirt
- Check print speedy bag
- Check print sneakers

...you know it's a really bad situation when their heritage trench coats are not even featured anymore on the main page!

 

[oioioi]

This constant self PR from the CEO and radio silence of Daniel Lee (no interviews, no insta, no BTS snippets) makes it seem like he's in some sort of Pimlico prison.

 

[PDFSD]

This constant self PR from the CEO and radio silence of Daniel Lee (no interviews, no insta, no BTS snippets) makes it seem like he's in some sort of Pimlico prison.

but a well paid one :-) nonetheless..i am sure performance bonus is included this year even if its less

 

[jeanclaude]

Well, Burberry is all about the checks...and Daniel is about the cheques.

 

[Frederic01]

WWD

 

[Thefrenchy]

Lyst rankings are literally bought out by brand execs so...

And again, not a mention of Daniel Lee.

 

[Lola701]

I hope for them that this will have the effect they expect.
People buys into the illusion of success. By appearing more in demand (than the reality), they hope that customers will be all over the brand again.

I only care for Lee anyway..

 

[NoInvite]

Lyst index for me doesn't mean anything. But if it makes them happy, I'm happy for them.
You go Burberry!

 

[Wombat]

It's interesting to me that most of the commenters who support Daniel Lee at Burberry (and love tearing down the new CEO) aren't even buying his pieces.

It's a similar phenomenon where everyone who loves Matthieu Blazy's Chanel isn't buying it either.

At the end of the day, it's the target market that the brand should be aiming for.

In Burberry's case, Josh Schulman was able to turn the brand around because he knew the target market - aspirational, functional and not into avantgarde like Lee's Burberry under Akeroyd.

I don't think Chanel will realise their error in hiring Blazy (who was already somewhat mediocre at Bottega IMO) until the sales data starts to come in.

 

[tourbillions]

I dont love his burberry but when i see discounted pieces, its always an easy buy.

 

[Lola701]

Aren’t we comparing apples to oranges?
I love Daniel Lee. I bought a piece from his first runway show at full retail price just to discover it 6 months later a fraction of it price on outlets?

Can it be compared to Chanel in any circumstance? Burberry clientele surely wasn’t paying those prices for the new Burberry. The people who bought from Bottega Veneta weren’t going to spend the same amount at Burberry.

Yes luxury as a word has put everything into the kitchen sink but let’s compare the comparable.

 

[PDFSD]

Aren’t we comparing apples to oranges?
I love Daniel Lee. I bought a piece from his first runway show at full retail price just to discover it 6 months later a fraction of it price on outlets?

Can it be compared to Chanel in any circumstance? Burberry clientele surely wasn’t paying those prices for the new Burberry. The people who bought from Bottega Veneta weren’t going to spend the same amount at Burberry.

Yes luxury as a word has put everything into the kitchen sink but let’s compare the comparable.

The comparable is about Lee / Blazy´s online fans buzz versus actual shopping buyers not about comparing brand halo/status/positioning or pricing between brands.

When brand noise does not translate in brand sales regraderdles of brand or price, i agree Lee and Blazy have comparable issue but we will have to wait till next year to get facts on this. (even if for me Blazy´s Bottega factually grew marginally compare to Lee´s is already a sign for what the future might bring)

We see already how hard it is for Phoebe to translate her demand /buzz for returning into actual sales and she has a larger fan base than Lee & Blazy combined. (for me price resistance and being online etc is not and excuse)

It's a reality that people consume fashion visually online one way and reality is another thing when the bank balance has to do the talking.

 

[Lola701]

The comparable is about Lee / Blazy´s online fans buzz versus actual shopping buyers not about comparing brand halo/status/positioning or pricing between brands.

When brand noise does not translate in brand sales regraderdles of brand or price, i agree Lee and Blazy have comparable issue but we will have to wait till next year to get facts on this. (even if for me Blazy´s Bottega factually grew marginally compare to Lee´s is already a sign for what the future might bring)

We see already how hard it is for Phoebe to translate her demand /buzz for returning into actual sales and she has a larger fan base than Lee & Blazy combined. (for me price resistance and being online etc is not and excuse)

It's a reality that people consume fashion visually online one way and reality is another thing when the bank balance has to do the talking.

As a general statement, I totally subscribe to the idea but For me the comparison is irrelevant. Because of the nature of the brands they are working for post-breakthrough.

Maybe im not around the right internet spaces but I have yet to see spaces where people are hyping up whatever Lee is doing. Lee is not even part of any communication at Burberry.

So it’s ridiculous to talk about a fandom or appreciation when we are totally far from that.

And sorry, the reception towards Blazy’s work is less of a reflection of pure fandom than an attractiveness to newness.

And even if his Chanel is a success, the detractors will likely attach it to the status of Chanel (which de facto help him) than a supposed fandom.

And for me, Blazy has an unfair advantage compared to Lee in this situation.

All I see in their careers so far is a few breakthrough moments. Not so much to solidify something substantial in the current climate.

I totally understand and agree with the point in general but when the brands attached to the talents are Chanel and Dior…Like come on.
It’s getting more interesting when there’s a Glenn Martens at Margiela, even a JWA at Loewe at the time. When really the hype of someone can totally change the entire perception people have of the brand.

 

[PDFSD]

As a general statement, I totally subscribe to the idea but For me the comparison is irrelevant. Because of the nature of the brands they are working for post-breakthrough.

Maybe im not around the right internet spaces but I have yet to see spaces where people are hyping up whatever Lee is doing. Lee is not even part of any communication at Burberry.

So it’s ridiculous to talk about a fandom or appreciation when we are totally far from that.

And sorry, the reception towards Blazy’s work is less of a reflection of pure fandom than an attractiveness to newness.

And even if his Chanel is a success, the detractors will likely attach it to the status of Chanel (which de facto help him) than a supposed fandom.

And for me, Blazy has an unfair advantage compared to Lee in this situation.

All I see in their careers so far is a few breakthrough moments. Not so much to solidify something substantial in the current climate.

I totally understand and agree with the point in general but when the brands attached to the talents are Chanel and Dior…Like come on.
It’s getting more interesting when there’s a Glenn Martens at Margiela, even a JWA at Loewe at the time. When really the hype of someone can totally change the entire perception people have of the brand.

The Comparables
- Lee was hyped as well even post BV and good will was there with the first shows and also press wise a darling like Blazy.
- Blazy is even more likable because of his child naive and craft goodboy dreamer press reputation.

- Both are known for bringing modernity and hit bags and create buzz at Bottega,
- Both are having difficulties translating that modernity into classically warm brands with a certain following and public perception.
(I did not like his Burberry form day one and its flopping)
(I don't like his Chanel from day one and it will flop)
One is current tense Blazy´s Chanel and the other past tense Lee´s Burberry that the only difference.

Side Details
Don't find it interesting to the discussion but i will address this part for accuracy:
Lee is not part of the communication yes Now in 2025!! since the new ceo took over let's be precise the current rehaul of Burberry was first totally in his hands.
Lee started in 2022 with his Burberry overhaul & the new ceo Joshua joined Burberry on July 2024 not much later that started to remove him from directing the communication.

Ridiculousness the detractors & the praisers
If we have the detractors like you mention , the opposite of that is than the praiser´s.
So if one exist without a doubt then its not ridiculous to compare Blazy with similar hype awaiting Lee at Burberry at the start and eventually flopping on real sales numbers and interest.

With Blazy we are just 2 & half collections in at Chanel that did not even touch the sales floor i known.
Again i'm interested in hypothesis of where things can go for a brand not the reaction to it once it already happen.
Thats where this comparison makes sense as anticipating the same trend as Lee second creative director job had.

Agree & disagree
Agree they both had breakthrough moments , like i said i dislike both for different reasons but both are bluntly stylistically arrogant to the brands they currently are working for is my big point.

I disagree that because its Chanel or Dior it's suddenly different you see how both brands are now so different from the past, while both modern designers are struggling and forcing to translate the non intellectual brand codes into something arty modern that does not translate in great products or brand perception.

 

[tourbillions]

- Both are known for bringing modernity and hit bags and create buzz at Bottega,

Are blazy's hits present in the room with us right now?

I don't think Blazy has ever reached the same peak as Lee's BV so far. He was always under his shadow, his Chanel could finally give him that since anything not by virgnie is a breath of fresh air. However, i don't thnk he is capable of making a real hit. He is just not a "star designer", i'm surprised the 2 are even being compared. i'd say jwa and daniel lee would have been a better comparison.

Lee's Burberry has way more personality compared to Blazy's Chanel so far. Valentino should take him.

 

[PDFSD]

Are blazy's hits present in the room with us right now?

I don't think Blazy has ever reached the same peak as Lee's BV so far. He was always under his shadow, his Chanel could finally give him that since anything not by virgnie is a breath of fresh air. However, i don't thnk he is capable of making a real hit. He is just not a "star designer", i'm surprised the 2 are even being compared. i'd say jwa and daniel lee would have been a better comparison.

Lee's Burberry has way more personality compared to Blazy's Chanel so far. Valentino should take him.

hehe
Oh i agree and mentioned many time Blazy growth at Bottega is factually smaller (les than half) of what Lee´s contribution was and the sardine bag and andiamo the ciao whatever lol where just hints of hits where as Lee had shoes and plenty of bags as hit items that contributed to sales growth on top of the 1 billion per year left by Tomas

On average leather good represent 74 percent of the total revenues at Bottega, followed by shoes with 16 percent and ready-to-wear representing only 7 percent.
Bottega Veneta's revenue in 2018 was approximately €1.109 billion as left by Tomas
Bottega Veneta's revenue in 2021 exceeded €1.5 billion, marking an all-time high and significant growth of 24-25%
Bottega Veneta's revenue in 2024 was approximately €1.7 billion, left by Blazy that's just 0.2 billion on top of what Blazy left

In same time Virginie grew Chanel Billion´s more lol
Start of Virginie
In 2020, Chanel's revenue dropped 18% to $10.1 billion, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on store closures

End of Virginie
In 2023, Chanel reported record revenues of approximately $19.7 billion, a 16% increase from the prior year, driven by strong demand across all categories and recovering tourism

Can't break down exact numbers as beauty is part of total sales but any sensible person can see the big difference of real sales impact versus online hype for certain beloved by the press creative directors.

As said by Chanel chief financial officer Philippe Blondiaux via BOF at that time in 21 May 2024.
Since Virginie took over from Karl…the Chanel fashion business has been multiplied by 2.2.
The Chanel ready-to-wear business has been multiplied by 2.5, and the ready-to-wear business last year of Chanel grew by 23%.”

Let see what genius Blazy will do with the clothes that every modern woman want and the woman who think that now Chanel is for them.

I think Lee is at the wrong brand right now its too much of a cultural layered cake he can't manage his niche approach in such a wide context much as Blazy fails as well.

Agree Lee BV was more ambitious and clear and even if he is less creative with fabric manipulations he makes up for it with a coherent brand image and story telling.
Even if both Lee and Blazy suffer from their stubborness to repeat same tricks at brands where it does not work. as new Valentino as new Balenciaga as new Gucci have all same problem of reptionion of old tricks that don't translate to the given brand they currently are at.

All tired ego trippers design working on borrowed style elements that they repeat in order to substitute for not having an original complete vision.

Lee & Blazy literally worked back to back at the same brand with in same square sandbox of modern concept and craft. how much more comparable do we need guys the both had hype around there BV period thats the point that both don't translate well post hype at brands that are different from where the received success and hype as consequence.

One failed and other will fail soon he just started i am waiting for sales facts to come in next year /actually we will know in 2027 when Chanel give numbers for full 2026.

Maybe i will still be online here checking in without an account while i have my lobster roll at the beach and reading on my phone all the reaction saying oh they should give him more time etc etc like we had with ancora & co´s ohh PDF was right again etc.