Check Yourself: Daniel Lee Cracks the Code at Burberry

Burberry is as quintessentially British as crumpets, queuing, and longing for a warm day—until, inevitably, it’s far too warm. Their infamous check is everywhere - from the runway to the royal wardrobe to knock-off pieces in East London markets. Daniel Lee, the current creative director, remembers first spotting one as a child, in the form of a scrunchie on EastEnders. Now 39, and at the helm of the brand, he recognises that scrunchie as his first encounter with a symbol of ‘Britishness’.

Under towering projections of the past collections and campaigns, I attended Vogue Conversations at Lightroom to watch Lee’s discussion with Chioma Nnadi, head of editorial content at British Vogue. I knew little about Lee himself going in, yet I wasn’t expecting him to feel so familiar, as if he too was a student with a huge task ahead of him. This scale couldn’t be emphasised enough, taking the reins of this culturally significant, 170-year-old house in 2022 after an impactful tenure at Bottega Veneta. Since then, Lee has attempted to stitch together Burberry’s heritage with a contemporary energy while keeping it deeply rooted in the British experience, a juxtaposition - between high fashion and the everyday - that just feels right. 

Listening to Lee speak, what struck me most was how emotionally invested he is. He spoke with a kind of boyish awe of great British talents such as Westwood and McQueen, heroes of his while studying at Central Saint Martins. He recalled watching John Galliano’s SS94 ‘Anna Karenina’ show for Givenchy on YouTube in between lessons - a shining example of storytelling and the art of inspiration in fashion. “I think, for me, it was really a kind of starting point of thinking that fashion doesn’t just need to be practical, you know, it's also about fantasy.”

His admiration for these creative powerhouses shaped his fashion worldview, garnering him the talent to eventually land the role at Burberry. Yet despite his undeniable design prowess, Lee was quick to deflect the spotlight, consistently stressing that the industry is, above all, driven by people. “It's a few people making work and making decisions that they love and they believe in,” he told Nnadi. “Teamwork is super valuable and super important in our industry, so everything really does start with the team.” It’s refreshing to hear a designer so determined to lead with a sense of creative democracy - coached as much by his team as he directs them.

In trying times such as these, it was moving to hear Lee speak with genuine affection about ‘Britishness’. He personally distinguishes the notion of ‘Britishness’ first and foremost with its people and their “variety of heritage, background and opinion,” adding that, “people have never been afraid to speak their mind and that informs great work and thinking.” He described having missed the classic bluntness and wit of British conversation during his years living abroad. He believes it is that very spirit that produces so much of our nation’s pioneering work across music, cinema, theatre, art and of course, fashion. After all, we were sitting just a stone’s throw away from Central Saint Martins, his alma mater, as he revealed that he met many of his current collaborators at the globally-renowned institution, not by coincidence, but tethered as a community. 

Now running a national heirloom, that communal spirit now threads through everything he’s building at Burberry. The projections illuminating the room showcased a variety of the brand’s ambassadors: Lennon Gallagher, Rachel Weiss, Olivia Coleman and, yes, even Mary Berry. An unconventional cast for sure, but that’s exactly the point. “For us, who we choose to work with is never about the size of their following, or whether they’re considered ‘of the moment’ – it’s really about the calibre of their artistry, and the fact that they’re the best at what they do.” A reminder that cultural weight isn’t counted in likes, they’re appointed not to achieve ‘virality’, but a legacy. It’s with gratitude for the innately British sense of community that he’s been able to build Burberry’s own, from icons like Naomi Campbell and Liberty Ross, who first wore these garments, to a Londoner caught in the rain.

Photo: Courtesy of Burberry.

Burberry’s biannual show is London Fashion Week’s blockbuster event, having previously shown in Kennington Park, Highbury Fields, Victoria Park and the National Theatre. An outside venue on a February afternoon is a risk that would make any Brit think twice, yet Lee chose these locations as everyday, lived-in parts of the city, reiterating the brand’s intimacy with the people of London and all things natural. And let’s be honest, if any brand is weather-ready, it’s Burberry, founded on tents long before trends.

When Nnadi asked if he could spare us some insight on his upcoming show, he hinted he would explore the idea of the British aristocrat. One could only imagine the territory he would set foot into. Fast forward a few weeks, and London Fashion Week FW25 was upon us.

The scene? The Duveen Galleries at Tate Britain were draped in historic tapestries, and the floor was laid in brilliant blue. The casting alone turned heads: Jason Isaacs, Richard E Grant and Lesley Manville made their runway debut while Lauryn Hill, Ian Wright and Kim Cattrall showcased the best of Burberry from the audience. And what’s more, the collection rose to the occasion. 

No more unrecognisable streetwear. No more late-night looks. I think for the first time, Daniel Lee has finally found his footing on his vision of Burberry: tradition for today. His inspiration was pulled straight from the eccentric formality and dinner party debauchery of Saltburn. “I really enjoyed the characters, and how the people lived in this old incredible mansion house, and dressed in a really eccentric way for dinner, and had crazy parties,” he told Vogue. “The whole thing was super-twisted. And this kind of bohemian spirit was the kind of energy that we wanted to portray in the show.” 

His models were weekend escapees fleeing London for the countryside: “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.” While I can only wish for a manor to run back to, as a Londoner, it clicks. Sinead O’Connor’s ethereal ‘Troy’ sung overhead, ‘You will rise, you’ll return, the phoenix from the flame.’ How very apt for the house’s promising new chapter after years of financial strife. 

In an autumnal palette of burgundy, forest green and walnut brown, models were wrapped in high-necked quilted coats, oversized velvet scarves, florally embroidered cropped trenches and fringed outerwear that brushed the calves like willow branches. Elsewhere, paisley dresses and velvet embossed suits hinted at a very British kind of decadence, boho but still refined. 

I’ve never seen a collection so prepared for a Scottish winter at Balmoral. There were layers of shearling, leather parkas and ponchos of thick, twisted yarn (think the Dulux dog, but in a good way). The check is still there, don’t fret, but now tastefully peeked out from linings, cuffs and collars, more whisper than shout.

The collection was like a stately home with wi-fi, demonstrating Burberry’s founding principles of what’s functional and what’s formal yet charmingly re-contextualised. Lee explained to the room, “I think when you work for a brand with such a beautiful past, it's an interesting start to look at the history, to look at the archive.” I, for one, am thankful he followed direction, preserving the house’s identity of luxury, craftsmanship and familiarity. “Ultimately, fashion is people. It starts with people, it ends with people.” The history of any brand isn’t just in its archive; it’s in the people who have worn, treasured and shaped it, but Burberry wins for celebrating them every step of the way.