RETAIL TREND REPORT
With a goth-obsessed Italian at the forefront of the iconic British fashion house, some people may raise their eyebrows in disbelief. But the numbers don’t lie and the market believes otherwise
See what Ricardo Tisci’s Burberry has in store for its Manila clientele
When Christopher Bailey presented his farewell collection almost a year ago, the fashion world was in a conundrum. Who could replace his rich appreciation for the brand’s roots, his flair stitched unto each and every piece? Not long after, the decade-old fashion house announced its new chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci, who took Givenchy from its Breakfast At Tiffany’s classic aesthetic, complete with iconic beauty Audrey Hepburn as its muse, and turning it into one of the top tiers of the luxury street wear movement through his love for gothic victorianism and iconography that percolated throughout his pieces every season. Upon the revelation, thousands of critics questioned him, with the internet even ridiculing the brand’s new assumed direction as “Goth Burberry.” Was it possible for Tisci to make lightning strike twice? Could he take Burberry beyond Gabardine? The controversy did not stop there. One of the early notable changes in direction was rebranding the logo—which was untouched for almost 20 years. Secondly, Tisci decided to revamp the monogram trend, featuring interlocking Ts and Bs that stood for founder Thomas Burberry’s initials. It was not met with positive reception by the internet with one meme even comparing it to pretzel snacks, further scrutinizing the young Italian’s vision for the brand.
A year and three seasons later, everyone started donning their Burberrys again, riding the wave of nostalgia both in their signature checks and new monogram pieces. Tisci shifted the culture along with Off-White creative lead Virgil Abloh joining Louis Vuitton and Kim Jones spearheading Dior Homme. Sure, there were his usual Tisci-isms, such as the rugby shirts, oversized tops and hints of deconstruction, but they were met with tonal tailoring, reiterations of the luxury house’s signature trench coat and yes—the utilization of fabrics not limited to just Gabardine. The more Riccardo Tisci gravitates to his Italian side, the more genuine and beguiling his collections become.