The opening look at Burberry’s Fall 2010 collection summed up the show in total, a model in a sheer dress, thigh-high boots and of course, a shearling jacket.  There is something intrinsically beautiful about the masculine jacket paired with a romantic sheer dress.  Shearlings ruled Burberry’s runway, and relegated the celebrated trench to a supporting role.  Though the trench may not have been the headliner, they showed they were a timeless classic.  They were updated with a military inspiration; my thought, ‘where do I enlist’?  It was an earthy color palette of olive green, mustard, tan, off-white, and grey with burgundy and navy mixed in.  The ultra sexy thigh-high boots served as a pant-like substitute to some of the barely there hemlines.  At the end of the day, it was a stunning collection with pieces we will all be coveting from now until the fall season.

Emma Watson is starring in Burberry’s spring 2010 ad campaign and she is joined by her brother Alex.  Emma is all grown up, and is a long way from Harry Potter.  Burberry’s creative director Christopher Bailey was going for a ‘cool’ vibe in this campaign, and I would say, ‘mission accomplished’! 

Ms. Watson is a combination of brains and beauty, the 19 year old attends Brown University when she is away from her day jobs.  Famed fashion photographer Mario Testino was called upon to bring Bailey’s vision to fruition.  Burberry continues to be relevant in the 21st century because of it’s willingness to adapt with the changing the times.  The actress is an astute choice in keeping on that path to the future; she is fast becoming a young style icon in her own right.

Supermodel Claudia Schiffer attended the British Fashion Awards in a Peter Pilotto design.  She speaks glowingly about new British designers, and their wealth of talent.  When asked about her rumored fashion line, the model explained she was not ready to announce anything at this time.  She did, however, say that any fashion line would have her fashion sensibilities; striking the right balance between overdone and underdone before leaving the house.  Her personal style was on display in her vintage jewelry selection for the evening.  The big winner of the night was the creative head at Burberry, Christopher Bailey, who won designer of the year.  The British Fashion Awards is a good start for Ms. Schiffer to socialize with her soon-to-be colleagues.

Burberry wants to do for shoes and bags what it’s done for the trench.  That is a good thing for the company’s bottom-line as well as its customers in terms of variety.  During these challenging financial times, leather goods have been the savior of many fashion houses.  “There is a huge momentum in this sector (of leather goods),” says Bailey.  Their new emphasis is especially important now that Burberry has reported a profit loss of over $90 million dollars during the first half of the year.  Accessories currently make up a third of the company’s revenues; shoes, bags and belts will be taking on a much larger role.  The shift is among other changes that were recently announced, namely the promotion of Christopher Bailey from creative director to chief creative officer.  It looks like Burberry is making all the right moves to maintain the 153 year old house’s relevance in the 21st century. 

Burberry to expand in shoes and handbags [Reuters]

Burberry Profits Slide 24 Percent [WWD]

Today we bring you Christopher Bailey, the creative director of Burberry.  We are treated to an interview with the designer giving us insight into his creative process.  When you learn more about a designer and his thought process with a collection, you walk away with a better understanding of the clothes.  That should be the overall goal.  The consumer is more likely to frequent a designer who she understands, and even more important, one she feels understands her.  ”There’s  something very effortless about the Burberry girl”, she is relaxed and elegant said Bailey.  He is very gracious and gives a lot of credit to his design team.  Take a look at the video to hear more about the Burberry girl directly from Christopher Bailey.