Christopher Bailey, the chief creative director credited with bringing Burberry into the 21st century and turning their fortunes around, is stepping down and leaving a hard act to follow. Once the mainstay of the mac-wearing world, Burberry is now synonymous with cutting-edge style and is held up as the epitome of British cool. So who will be the one to step into Bailey’s shoes and keep Burberry in the ascendant?
Stuart Vevers.
One of the frontrunners for this sought-after position appears to be Stuart Vevers, who has been responsible for not one, but three brands moving into the mainstream. His experience in driving the fashion world towards must-have accessories is in keeping with Burberry’s recent forays into costume jewellery and bags, so all things point to this being a good fit for Burberry and its future plans.
Phoebe Philo.
Philo seems to be the more obvious choice to take over at Burberry, having spent time at the ultra-cool Celine, the French label favoured by Kanye West despite being a mainly womenswear label. Her many talents are sure to be transferrable to mens designer clothes as well as accessories, and her keen eye for design and sharp sense of style will find a welcome home in the Burberry camp. The fact that her former boss at Celine is now CEO at Burberry has served to fuel speculation that it is just a matter of time before the announcement is made.
With more than 500 stores in countries around the world, there is going to be no shortage of work for the new creative director. Just how far this new director will tweak the current signature style is to be seen, but if either of these two talented people takes the helm, there are sure to be big changes in Burberry’s future. Fashion chains such as EJ Menswear will want the popular and familiar check pattern to feature somewhere, so a nod to the heritage of the company is a must.
With the high-quality and fashion credentials of these candidates, one thing is for certain: the future of Burberry is in good hands and all we can do is look forward with anticipation to the innovation and creativity of whomsoever takes over the helm at this giant of British fashion.
