Designer Christopher Bailey draws on the post-WWII images of Bill Brandt of England to capture the current mood amid the economic downturn. But austerity doesn't prevent him from incorporating classic details.
I think this is the best outfit in the collection. The combination of the contrasting (velvet?) collar and lapel of the coat with the ribbon tie and club collared shirt turns any lilting walk into a swagger.
The historical apparition is deftly orchestrated, but bringing back elements like the low crotch and loose pants not only recall a past decade, but also soften the present.
For me, this model in the past few pictures has the perfect face and attitude to bring back that specific era: he looks mildly distraught and effetely defiant, but hope never seems lost.
There are looks that come as deeply personal, as if they were lifted right out of portraits.
These Fair Isle cummerbunds cinch the stylistic gap between the 1940s and the 21st century: a worthwhile proposition.
While there is suffering in Brandt's photographs, he also captures the humanity of hope.
It will be interesting to observe how these new clothes by Burberry Prorsum will in their turn inspire pictures for the current era, and become fodder for succeeding generations referencing this latest financial crisis.
