From Countryside to Catwalk, Burberry's Winter 2025
Daniel Lee's Burberry collection draws inspiration from weekend escapes, blending outdoor wear with classic British elegance.
"Think of them as weekend escapees," says Daniel Lee, referring to the images pinned to a mood board. "It’s that great Friday night exodus from London. Long rainy walks in the great outdoors to disconnect and day trips to grand stately homes."
For centuries, Londoners have sought refuge from the bustle of the capital, escaping to the countryside for fresh air and open spaces. Even today, crowds spill out at distant train stations, driven by what Lee describes as ‘that slightly eccentric, somewhat bohemian need to travel; weekend luggage included.’
It is precisely this weekend luggage that has served as inspiration for the Burberry Winter 2025 runway show, unveiled today at London’s Tate Britain.
Blending outdoor wear with evening attire, daywear, and tailoring, the collection reinterprets classic British fabrics crafted by local artisans. Rooted in Burberry’s values of design, innovation, and craftsmanship, it draws upon the faded grandeur of English country houses, merging historic interiors with functional style.
Elements of country house decor are seamlessly woven into contemporary fashion, with the rugged outdoors reimagined through the lens of ‘faded and noble’ aesthetics. Weatherproof materials are infused with elaborate wall hangings, creating a dialogue between tradition and modernity.
Lee cites British film and television, renowned for their nuanced social commentaries, as ‘potent touchstones’ shaping the collection, all of which are filtered through the Burberry perspective.
Inspired by the rich textiles and meticulous artistry found in grand stately homes, Lee meticulously examined swatches of hand-painted wallpapers, lavish furnishing fabrics, handcrafted carpets, and ‘sumptuous, somewhat faded’ tapestries.
For the show, vast drapes frame the runway, reinterpreting the landscapes of British masters and the textures of historical tapestries. The seating is adorned with fresco-inspired fabrics reminiscent of those found in historic country houses, evoking the look of dust sheets draped over stored-away heirlooms.
Credit: Burberry
Throughout the collection, there is an intentional interplay between indoor textiles, now repurposed for outdoor fashion and a continued evolution of Burberry’s design language. Interiors influence garments, which are then reimagined for contemporary wear. Velvet brocade jackets echo flocked wallpaper, pheasant prints are intricately cut into feathered trims, and delicate lacework is transformed through intricate bead embellishments.
Outerwear remains central. Burberry’s iconic trench coat appears in embossed leather, while heirloom-inspired pieces are reinterpreted in patchwork shearling and jacquard tapestry weaves. The cape makes a return in both knit and shearling, incorporating classic trench details derived from a thorough exploration of the Burberry archive.
Country pursuits inform the collection, reflected in equestrian jodhpur trousers and Savile Row-inspired tailoring in birdseye wool. Handcrafted details lend a sense of romanticism to trench coats and dresses, reimagined in shredded chine damask.
The palette features earthy tones such as tapestry brown and deer taupe, contrasted with bold shades of punk red, yellow, and hues of alder and maze green. Lee’s walks through the Yorkshire Dales serve as inspiration for the collection’s plaids and checks.
The new B Bracelet bag blends saddle shapes with a curved top handle, while hardware elements draw from equestrian bridle reins, complete with Burberry’s signature horse clip. Pumps, slippers, and riding boots are crafted from damask weaves and embossed leathers, mirroring the textures of grand interiors.
The B Clip saddle bag returns, now adorned with tapestry-style motifs, while totes, holdalls, and clutches feature weathered leathers, evoking a sense of familiarity through intarsia and Burberry Check.
Jewellery is imbued with vintage charm, featuring star and firework motifs rendered in hand-set stones, alongside ribbons of vibrant enamel.
Set within London’s Tate Britain, the runway show provides a fitting backdrop for this celebration of British creativity. It also marks the beginning of a year-long partnership between Burberry and Tate, supporting crucial conservation efforts within Tate Britain’s esteemed Painting Conservation Studio.
The casting brings together figures from British film, television, music, and modelling, including Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’), Jason Isaacs (‘Verona’s Romeo & Juliet’), Richard E. Grant (‘Gosford Park’), Guy Remmers (‘The Buccaneers’), Elizabeth McGovern (‘Downton Abbey’), Jessica Madsen (‘Bridgerton’), and Lesley Manville (‘The Crown’).
For the runway soundtrack, Lee collaborated with longtime Burberry partner, producer, and DJ Benji B, who curated selections from the archive of the late Sinéad O’Connor (1966–2023).
