‘Throughout my life, my mother has been this incredible force of nature. As a single parent, she raised me and my eight sisters with unfaltering purpose and pride. So, naturally, I have always been drawn to strong women and, in turn, they have also given me the confidence to express my own femininity. They are not afraid to challenge expectations and I have always been in such awe of their determination. They are warriors.
I wanted this collection to feel truly emblematic of the power of feminine energy: a modern armour that captures its characteristic fierce aura. There’s an underlying attitude to the collection that’s very British; of being unique, eccentric and totally authentic in how you express yourself. This presentation is a love letter to women and a celebration of their incomparable strength.’ Riccardo Tisci, Burberry Chief Creative Officer.
A symbolic sun rises, bringing a new dawn of opportunity. Mother Nature is iconised, and her strength celebrated as the provider of this new beginning.
Riccardo Tisci’s first womenswear presentation for Burberry sets out a bold interpretation of modern femininity; shedding archetypes and readdressing preconceptions. At its core, the collection carries a sense of unflinching pride and conviction. With a sense of fluidity, looks reinvent tradition, twist classicism and encourage freedom of expression.
Set within the home of the brand, at Burberry’s flagship Regent Street store in London, an awe-inspiring incarnation of visionary British artist Shygirl introduces the presentation with an original spoken-word piece. The collection itself reflects Burberry’s distinctive character and attitude, reinvigorating hallmarks with a fresh perspective for the modern woman of today. This energy is encapsulated in a dynamic electronic soundtrack, rallying the models as they move confidently through the space.
Continuing to be inspired by the themes laid out at the Burberry Autumn/Winter 2021 menswear presentation, the collection pays homage to the indomitable force of Mother Nature and the widespread British craft and outdoor movements of the early 20th Century. With fluttering capes and references to flags, the collection nods to these groups who daringly ventured into nature, breaking with convention in their journey towards building a better future. This sense of optimism is palpable throughout the collection with showers of unexpected brightness – the rainbow shining through the rain.
Burberry has always empowered people to push boundaries and continues to challenge tradition today. For Autumn/Winter 2021, the fashion house embarks on the next stage of its exploration of modern femininity and masculinity with Riccardo Tisci re-writing the narrative, underscoring his collections with a sense of boldness and opportunity.
THE COLLECTION
A return to the animal kingdom, a Burberry house code. Trompe l’oeil prints and tactile faux furs play on the natural andthe fashioned. The trench coat in bonded faux fur and leather, photographic fox print wool, and geometric intarsia. Reconstructed duffle coats in faux mink and curly shearling. Unexpected adornment on hoods, and exaggerated pelt fringing. Faux fur embroidered into the caped silhouette of a dress, and the paneling of tailored shorts. Evoking a sense of freedom, fluttering cape-sleeve dresses in colour block and animal print, and fluid unlined outerwear – as if moving in the wind. Flag intarsias on silk satin and tulle skirts, and reconstructed silhouettes with geometric panels and prints. Bold and bright. Re-inventing tradition, British tailoring classics are renewed with fresh purpose and confidence – a modern armour. A sharp-shouldered boxy blazer; tapered trousers with cut-out cuffs; and fringed and panelled longline shorts. The Burberry cape finds new expression, silhouetting the shoulders in magnified check cashmere, and spliced with a tailored jacket. A gleaming gold lamé trench coat with eyelet fringing, and draped silhouettes illuminated with hundreds of lightcatching paillettes – evoking the colour and patina of the sun; the strength of feminine energy.
BAGS
A sense of fluidity inspires the new Flag bag, a soft tote with metallic embroidered fringing – presented in pailletteadorned silk, and smooth lambskin annotated with our founder’s initials. The Olympia collection evolves with fresh iterations, its athletic aura redefined with a new femininity – an Olympia scarf tote and clutch. Supple silhouettes sculpted for movement. The supersized messenger bag, introduced in the Autumn/Winter 2021 menswear presentation, returns in faux fur and shearling, inspired by the animal kingdom.
SHOES
Second-skin sock boots in stretch tulle, created for self expression with a spectrum of sculptural heels – in bright multicolour, Vintage check, a flocked Monogram, and with heart motifs. Soles are playfully moulded to resemble deer hooves.
ACCESSORIES
New wraparound eyewear – evolved from a sports-influenced frame – in injected nylon with a graphic gold-plated brow bar. Bells, bolts and resin pearls punctuate rings and earrings. A series of bold headwear silhouettes (or warrior-inspired headwear) in faux fur, lambskin and paillette-embellished satin.
KEY PRINTS
Trompe l’oeil mink, shearling and fox fur prints, and elemental artworks in geometric colour block with stars.
KEY COLOURS
A rich and earthy palette – green, soft fawn, camel, beige, copper, pecan brown, black, and saffron. Bright inflections in a rainbow of red, gold, orange, pink and tulip yellow.
ABOUT SHYGIRL
- Shygirl is a British musician, best known as a singer, songwriter and rapper.
- Shygirl was first known for her collaborations with artists Arca, Seda Bodega and the late Sophie.
- Shygirl released her debut EP in 2018, followed by a second in 2020 to critical international acclaim.
- Shygirl’s beauty team: Hair: Latisha Chong, Make-up: Raisa Flowers o Nails: Dawn Sterling
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
- Styling: Katy England
- Make-up: Isamaya Ffrench, Burberry Global Beauty Director
- Hair: Gary Gill
- Choreography: Josh Johnson and Tosh Basco
- Directors: Partel Oliva
ABOUT THE MUSIC
- The Autumn/Winter 2021 womenswear presentation soundtrack was produced and mixed by Ville Haimala, featuring tracks by Amnesia Scanner, KABLAM, Kamixlo and Toxe.
ABOUT THE MODELS
Models that walked in the Autumn/Winter 2021 presentation included Alma Corbic, Anya Ekung, Astrid Voss, Chai Maximus, Eugenia Dubinova, Felice Noordhoff, Hannah Motler, Jae Bagnall, Jan Baiboon, Janet Jumbo, Karo Laczkowska, Kayako Higuchi, Liv Walters, Mayowa Nicholas, Nikoline Mekjan, Rachelle Harris, Sacha Quenby, Shayna McNeill, Tara Halliwell, Valeria Buldini, Xue Huizi.
ABOUT INCLUSION & RESPONSIBILITY AT BURBERRY
Burberry’s commitment to gender equality
- At Burberry, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to fulfilling our purpose and are core to our values. Attracting and retaining diverse talent and fostering an inclusive culture enable us to be more creative in everything we do and open spaces for our colleagues, customers and communities.
- Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion extends beyond Burberry. We champion and advocate for changemakers, organisations and initiatives that have a meaningful impact on underrepresented communities. We also believe it is important to celebrate diversity in our campaigns and shows, and we have measures in place to ensure we assemble casts that are representative of our customers and communities.
- Burberry has rigorously reviewed and implemented policies, programmes and practices to support its ambition, work recently recognised by the fashion house’s inclusion in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.
- In the past year, Burberry has introduced an industry-leading parental leave policy to support new parents returning to work. With a focus on fostering an inclusive culture, Burberry has also refreshed its development programmes to embed the company’s values in how it leads across the business and have rolled out global allyship training.
- Burberry ensures its recruitment and succession planning practices are inclusive, including shortlists having at least a 50/50 gender split and at least 25 per cent ethnic diversity, and broadening the company’s talent pipeline through its community programmes and partnerships.
- Burberry is a signatory of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, supporting its ambition to achieve gender equality.
Covid-19
- Burberry is inviting all guests to experience the presentation digitally.
- Only essential members of the production team will be on set, reducing the size of the overall cast. Strict health and safety measures will be in place, including daily Covid-19 testing, mandatory mask usage at all times, clear social distancing markers and barriers in place and enhanced cleaning of the location and equipment.
- All aspects of the performance are designed to maintain social distancing.
- Burberry has engaged an external health and safety advisor to ensure that both shoot and presentation preparation locations are Covid-19 secure and will carefully monitor compliance on set at all times.
Carbon neutral events
- To support Burberry’s ambition to achieve a net-zero future, this presentation as well as all Burberry events, will be certified carbon neutral. To achieve this, measures will be taken to reduce the environmental impact of the event before offsetting any remaining emissions through Burberry’s Regeneration Fund.
- Through the Burberry Regeneration Fund, Burberry supports a portfolio of carbon insetting and offsetting projects mapped to the footprint of its business.
- Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, these programmes are helping restore natural habitats and biodiversity, improving carbon capture and enhancing local communities with skills and training.
Burberry’s climate strategy
- Burberry is on track to achieve its goal to be carbon neutral in its own operational energy use by 2022, as well as use 100 per cent renewable energy across its own operations in the same time frame (currently at 90 per cent).
- In September 2020, Burberry became the first of its luxury peers to issue a sustainability bond, enlisting the support of investors in delivering our sustainability goals.
ABOUT BURBERRY
- Underpinning this target are two climate goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, to reduce absolute scope one and two greenhouse gas emissions by 95 per cent by 2022 and absolute scope three greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 (all from a 2016 base year).
- In February 2020, Burberry announced the launch of a Regeneration Fund to support a portfolio of verified carbon offsetting and carbon insetting projects to directly tackle the environmental impact of Burberry’s operations.
- Burberry is a global luxury brand headquartered in London, UK.
- Founded in 1856, Burberry is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BRBY.L) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index.
- BURBERRY, the Equestrian Knight Device, the Burberry check and the Thomas Burberry Monogram and print are trademarks belonging to Burberry.
- For more news visit www.burberryplc.com