Simply Abu Dhabi XI

1 4 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I It hasn’t been abandoned, but the sweetheart is making a move on the Burberry check’s signature role. As in the women’s collection, it is starting to stamp its mark. In the menswear it appears printed onto crisp cotton shirts and peeking out of neck scarves. Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Director, is feeling confident. Giving the show such a brash name called for only one thing. Courage. And its here in spades. All the Burberry classics have been remastered in a slightly unhinged, animalistic way, be it leopard print shoes, zebra print or a tiger lapel. Latex overlays have been used to hint at the patterns and shapes that lie beneath. It flows nicely from the futuristic metallics of last season, where gleaming pink macs topped silver lame shirts. Burberry leads the pack when it comes to social media. It has one of the largest social media followings in fashion and broadcasts live across most platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – from backstage and the runway. Bailey has been a tireless proponent of modern technology and its power to build brand positioning and influence. He knows that the young are living online. He knows it’s the future. He joined the company in 2001 and has now truly stamped his mark on the brand, turning its fortunes around on the way with his commercial aptitude. Since joining the company he has won numerous awards and accolades, including an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Art of which he is an alumni. In 2005 he won Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, in 2007 and 2008 it was Menswear Designer of the Year.