Burberry opts for lightness and joy for spring/summer 2025 collection
Each season, we break down everything you need to know about the new collections in The Fashion Week Cheat Sheet. After speaking to the designers about their inspiration, their hero pieces, the faces on the catwalk and the names on the front row, we present your complete guide to spring/summer 2025.
Moving away from the London park scene, where Burberry has shown for the past few seasons, Daniel Lee brought everyone to the National Theatre on Monday afternoon, where he presented his latest collection, one which bet as big on the trench as it did the heritage check.
It was the first show to take place since the appointment of new CEO Joshua Schulman, who joined from the American label Coach, with the expectation that Burberry will now start to move in a more commercial direction. This collection – which Lee described as having "a feeling of lightness and summertime" – certainly felt more wearable than ever (indeed, it bore the tagline: "Born of function, grounded in heritage").
"We want the runway shows to feel like a dream, but we also want the clothing to feel like a real proposition, too," the designer told press backstage. "We need to find smart ways to take the check, to take the new codes, and evolve them into something that’s relevant to the stores."
Theme and inspiration
In the show notes, Lee described the spring/summer 2025 collection as being "grounded in joy and a warm sense of familiarity". This familiarity could be seen in how he reinterpreted the house codes for a new season, including giving the iconic Burberry check a toned-down makeover, presenting it in more subtle hues. The trench was also reworked in various ways, and the colour palette overall felt light and refreshing; lilacs, light blues and bright oranges with metallic touches.
This season's collection was also partly inspired by the British artist Gary Hume, who created the show set – and whose work could be seen in the dramatic colour-blocking and in graphics that reflected Hume's paintings.
Hero pieces
The classic Burberry trench took on new forms for spring/summer 2025, and undoubtedly stole the show. We saw trench elements reconstructed as cropped capes, swishy dresses and airy tops in washed silk poplin and linen, while some trenches were adorned with lightweight organza faux feathers. Other outerwear staples like parkas, car coats and biker jackets were given a new lease of life in softer silhouettes and colours, styled with feminine flowing skirts. Meanwhile, the fringed dresses felt fresh – these midis were hand-stitched with metallic paillettes and looked ready to party.
The setting
The show was presented at the National Theatre with a set created especially for the occasion by Hume, which was inspired by his 1990 art installation 'Bays', where green fabrics hung to emulate modernist hospital doors.
"The brutalist architecture complements Gary Hume’s modernist works, contrasting with the lightness of the collection," the brand said of the space, before quoting Hume: "What is so great about making art is that it’s so interesting. You’re always looking and then always making."
Who was there?
Always the most star-studded show of London Fashion Week, this season saw names including Jodie Turner-Smith, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Olivia Colman, Iris Law and Jerry Hall in attendance. Meanwhile, Edie Campbell and Lily Donaldson took to the catwalk, models reminiscent of 2010s Burberry.
Catch up on more from London Fashion Week spring/summer 2025 here.
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