Burberry enlists a star-studded cast for its Autumn/Winter 2025 show

Burberry closed out London Fashion Week last night, with a roster of A-listers filling the Tate Britain both on and off the catwalk. Creative director Daniel Lee was inspired by the 2023 film ‘Saltburn’ and fittingly, Richard E Grant walked the runway in a chunky, moss green tailored coat, with a thistle brooch pinned to the lapel. He was joined by models Naomi Campbell, Erin O’Connor and Karen Elson, as well as fellow actors Jason Isaacs (currently starring in The White Lotus) and Lesley Manville.

Lee, who joined Burberry in 2022 after previously serving as creative director at Bottega Veneta, has sent the industry rumour mill into overdrive as of late. Many publications have reported that this will be his last show for the heritage British house, due to ever-slumping financial results (it fell out of the FTSE 100 last September) and internal shake-ups (the company drafted in former Coach CEO Joshua Schulman last July to turn things around).

However, this show didn’t indicate Lee was slinking towards the exit door. The front row included the likes of Lauren Hill, Law Roach, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz, Kim Cattrall, Nicholas Hoult and a knight in shining armour from Burberry’s recent advertising campaign (providing a perfect selfie opportunity for many). Guests were sat on a medley of sofas as the Tate Britain was dressed to look like a country manor house, complete with a runway in the brand’s signature royal blue colour. In short, it was hardly a quiet affair.

And what about the clothes? The collection relied heavily on outerwear — which makes sense given the brand’s slowdown in sales. Trench coats in a variety of lengths and fabrics including leather, fur and corduroy were styled with giant scarfs and hand-clasped umbrellas. The escape to the country aesthetic will undoubtedly resonate with much of Burberry’s core customer base, as will the Nova Check, which also featured heavily throughout the collection.

Elsewhere, jodhpur trousers were tucked into knee-high leather boots, jacquard smoking suits and silk pyjamas were reminiscent of historic manor house furnishings and voluminous fringed dresses swished to Sinead O’Connor, whose 1987 album ‘The Lion And The Cobra’ provided much of the soundtrack.

For Lee, who has struggled to replicate the success of his time at Bottega at Burberry, this offering felt like a safe bet — doubling down on what the house does best, in a stripped back and sensible colour palette. Whether it’s enough to save his seat remains to be seen.