Settimana della moda di Londra - Burberry Prorsum AW12

This season’s show took place in a glass tent in Kensington Gardens, with a surprise for the finale that left everyone in the audience gobsmacked. Using both internal and external effects, Burberry recreated no less than a storm as the models strut along the catwalk under umbrellas. Thunder started to rumble while, suddenly, heavy rain poured from the roof, down the transparent walls of the tent.

The show was, as usual, cramped with celebrities, including this year Kate Bosworth, Olivia Palermo, Alexa Chung and Will.i.am – who arrived last, Eddie Redmayne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Clémence Poesy, Anna Wintour, Mario Testino, Alexandra Roach, Leigh Lezark, and many others.

The collection, named ‘Towns and Fields’ was definitely country-inspired. Burberry Prorsum reaffirmed its quintessential Britishness with this collection, through fantastic outerwear pieces, including classic tweed riding jackets, silk bombers, blanket coats, flared riding skirts, as well as of course the traditional trench coats – but with a twist. Bailey really explored volume in this collection, notably through bellows pockets on the side of most garments. Panels with different textures were also present throughout the collection, on jackets, coats or even skirts.

This was mixed with more contemporary pieces such as animal print shirts or knitted tops featuring a oh-so-cute owl pattern. Accessories such as black leather studded gloves and clutches, or velvet bow belts added a touch of eccentricity and rock chic to the silhouette.

In terms of fabrics, beside the traditional cotton gabardine and tweed wool, plush velvet was used on pencil and ruffle detailed skirts, as well as on the amazing plum coat worn by Cara Delevingne at the end of the show.

The palette revolved around warm and rich shades of honey, gingerwood, dark camel, blackcurrant, burgundy, dark mauve-pink, chartreuse yellow, laurel green and dark petrol blue.

A collection elegant at heart, a sumptuous show livestreamed around the world… this year again Burberry Prorsum confirmed their status of highlight of the London Fashion Week.

Laurie Guillem