Paris, February 23, 2010, 5pm local time. An audience of 300 guests put on their 3D glasses, along with others in New York, Dubai, Tokyo and L.A., to watch the Burberry Prorsum Fall/Winter show live in London. Virtual rain curtains and sound would almost make us check that we haven’t forgotten our trench coat to stay dry.
No giant blue creatures flying over Pandorra on the back of hybrid birds in this vision in relief, here the creatures that come straight at us wear waders and noble materials.
This daring device finds its justification especially during the pre-show projection of the backstage preparations and the arrival of the VIPs on the London red carpet, presented by Greg James, host of the BBC Radio 1 station, but is not necessarily exploited in the best way during the show itself, due to the necessarily minimalist nature of the staging (catwalk/ frontal shot/ static camera).
The experience is still fun, and the most interesting dimension is the creations that are offered to us.
Burberry wraps us up by paying homage to its 150 year old history, playing on the aviator and military spirit. Clear and chiquissime structures for parkas, officer coats, volume games especially in double or even triple collar jackets, marriage of turned over skins and leather, magnification and exaggeration of the functional (zips, belt buckles, multiplied buttons especially on the sleeves). The silhouette is imposing but the colossal thigh-high boots on vertiginous stiletto heels provide the ultra feminine counterpoint for a look in the end asserted but very sexy. The mini skirts of Spring / Summer are knee-length but reiterate the elegance of the drape of the beautiful season, or the flounce. Browns, beige and navy dominate, but are paired with bright purples, greens and yellows (mustard, please!). The final coat, a patchwork of furs, is simply to die for.
Burberry is the very first brand to offer a live global 3D broadcast of its fashion show. Internet users around the world were also able to watch the show live and in 2D on the live.burberry.com website, as well as through more than 70 news, fashion and blog sites, all accessible via iPhone. More than 100 million people were able to admire the latest Burberry women’s collection.
In addition, Internet users who watched the 2D live stream were able to share their comments on the show in real time, via their Facebook or Twitter accounts.
In Paris the event was organized with Colette at the Beaux Arts. The unstoppable concept store is currently offering two limited edition Burberry trench coats.
Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer, won the International Designer of the Year award at the Elle Style Awards on February 21, and we couldn’t agree more.
In Latin, « Prorsum » means « forward »…
Camille Salmon