Spring ’24 may be the season of the ballet flat, but they were nowhere to be seen on the Burberry runway.
Instead, chief creative officer Daniel Lee continued to march to his own artistic beat for his second season at the British luxury brand, finding ways to reinterpret its traditional aesthetic codes and creating new peculiarities within them. That included plenty of square-toed shoes, different styles than those he shot to “It” shoe status a few years ago at another brand — but of the same idiosyncratic purpose and spirit.
The collection was, according to the show’s notes, an “exploration of lightness, sensuality, beauty and elegance.” Lee also noted that outdoor living was top of mind in designing the lineup, which had plenty of prints — “embracing the clichés of British fruits and English meadows.” These patterns mingled with classic separates; the trench coat, of course, but also crisp shirting, textured jackets and a few frilled dresses. Beauty details — clean faces save for a blue-black lipstick — hinted at the British legacy of punk style and spirit, even amongst a lineup full of classics.
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The square toes came from a series of sturdy leather loafers, outfitted with heavy hardware. Lee may be smart to hold onto this silhouette: The popular lug-soled loafer was nowhere to be seen at NYFW, but according to some buyers, the practical style is still selling well.
Sandals weren’t square-toed, per se, but had a bulbous toe shape — certainly not the daintiness of a ballet flat, but the idea seemed to add to a growing collective rejection of fall ’23’s pointy-toed stiletto. They also echoed the shapes of the brand’s spring ’24 collection, shown during resort season back in June.
Sandals also included styles with thick thong straps, silhouettes that also resonated in corners of NYFW where peculiar shoes (and footwear stylings) still come out on top. Both Lee at Burberry and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez at Proenza Schouler are betting that shoe fans will want more of those weird-but-alluring toe styles come spring.
The Monday London Fashion Week show was full of boldface names on the front row, from Kylie Minogue, Tems and Naomi Campbell to Gabrielle Union, Rachel Wiesz and Burna Boy. There were also plenty of them in the show. Models Karen Elson, Edie Campbell, Liberty Ross, Adwoa Aboah walked the runway in trenches and thonged sandals, all Lee’s quirky vision of a new British tradition.
