Burberry’s A/W 2018 London Fashion Week show featured a myriad of colour and print on the runway. From graffiti printed fleece hoodies, to rainbow puffer jackets and of course the classic Burberry check, the collection is bursting with fun statement pieces.
Christopher Bailey, the President and Chief Creative Officer at Burberry since 2001, made this show all about capturing a moment in time. It was Bailey’s last show as President at the fashion house, before he officially steps down on 31st March after 17 years with the title. His final show encapsulated a reflection of this passage of time. There were pieces which nodded to the past as well as ones which stood for the ‘now’, including the reinvention of the classic check to leave ‘The Rainbow Legacy’.
The designer seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from the eighties, nineties and noughties, with silk scarf printed boiler suits and sporty shell suit jackets. The models also sported chunky high-top trainers, Harrington jackets and caps. And of course, the item that has already received a lot of attention is the full length faux fur cape in all of its vivid rainbow striped glory, modelled by Cara Delevingne in the finale.
The use of colour and the integration of the rainbow into the classic Burberry check is all a part of the legacy Bailey is leaving behind for the brand. The print is symbolic of diversity and creativity, and ultimately of the show’s support for three LGBTQ+ charities. The fashion house are supporting the Albert Kennedy Trust, the Trevor Project and ILGA, charities which offer support to LGBTQ+ youths as well as helping to empower and mobilise LGBTI groups worldwide. The Albert Kennedy Trust works particularly with LGBT young people who are homeless or in vulnerable conditions, and was set up in Manchester in 1989.
The show came in perfect time for LGBT History Month. Throughout February 2018, the aims for History Month are promoting equality and diversity of LGBT communities in the public eye. The month draws attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their histories, particularly by reaching out through school curriculums. The support Burberry has shown for LGBTQ+ charities is especially prevalent in History Month, and it is important that other fashion houses follow suit to work towards equality in the public eye.
Harriet Timmins
Image: Vogue instagram – @voguemagazine