The lost freedom to explore inspires Burberry’s Tisci

LONDON — Burberry’s Riccardo Tisci said the dream of being able to explore — a freedom denied during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns — had inspired his first menswear-focused collection for the British luxury label.

“Enclosed indoors, I dreamt of the outdoors and its beauty, fueled by the thought of the creativity that comes when we are together,” Mr. Tisci said.

“With this dream in mind, I became fascinated by the widespread British craft and outdoor movements of the early 20th century, when people escaped to explore the unknown countryside.”

Outerwear was a focus in the Autumn/Winter 2021 collection, filmed at Burberry’s flagship Regent Street store in central London before being released on social media channels on Feb. 22.

Burberry’s traditional trenches were re-imagined with pleats, panels and fringes, while the color palette centred on tonal shades of beige, bark brown, oxblood burgundy and city greys.

Mr. Tisci joined the 165-year-old brand in 2018 to give creative direction to chief executive Marco Gobbetti’s repositioning of the house further upmarket.

His designs have attracted new younger customers, particularly in the important Chinese market.

Like other labels, Burberry has been hit hard by global restrictions on shop opening and travel and tourism.

It reported a 9% decline in sales in its third quarter, a bigger drop than the 6% in the second quarter.

The company said last month trading would remain susceptible to regional disruptions but it was confident of rebounding when the pandemic eased given the brand’s resonance with customers. — Reuters