Burberry Fall 2016 - Runway Review

Burberry transformed a home in London into a “Makers’ Studio” where artisans demonstrated the craft behind the Brit label’s must-have fall pieces. That intimate venue also served as the venue for Christopher Bailey’s pioneering see-now-buy-now runway show.

According to show notes, the collection was inspired by a reissue of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando, which tells the tale of a poet who lives for centuries, turning form a man to a woman in the process.

A navy military jacket with a white tie-neck blouse and striped trousers opened the show, set to a space featuring chintz-covered benches and a 21-piece live orchestra. That androgynous theme continued permeated throughout the procession, with women’s pieces featuring passementerie details and menswear cut with bold, broad shoulders. Standouts included a structured knit sweater designed and fitted to look like an Elizabethan corset and peplum.

Accessorized on many of the models was Burberry’s new new bag style featuring a chain strap that popped nicely with the collection’s vibrant colors and moody hues.

Amidst all the Elizabethan flair, highlights included jackets and deconstructed trench coats, short shearlings with flared cuffs, ruffle-collared blouses and tapered trousers in fabrics ranging from silk and cashmere to denim and wool. Dresses and jackets were made from tapestry intarsia, and there were chintz-style flower prints galore.

The silk pajama stripes and bathrobe coats were as downright sensuous as the sweatshirts, with their ballooning sleeves accented by stud details, were coveted. In total, Bailey showcased 83 looks totaling some 250 pieces. Sometimes you can win them all.