Daniel Lee looked to the style of concertgoers for a collection rich in texture, from beaded tops to laser-cut leather.
Summary
- Burberry’s Summer 2026 collection drew from the style and energy of the United Kingdom’s live music scene, with a Black Sabbath soundtrack setting the mood.
- The collection emphasized surface and craft, with pieces made from beads, leather laser-cut to look like lace, and classic trench coats spliced with macramé.
- New accessories included soft, unstructured bags with equestrian details, alongside new boot and sandal styles.
Inside Burberry’s show tent at Perks Field in Kensington, a soundtrack sourced from the archives of British band Black Sabbath filled the space. The music, selected by collaborator Benji B, was the first signal of Daniel Lee’s inspiration for the Summer 2026 collection: the UK’s live music scene. “Every summer the UK comes to life with style and sound,” says Daniel Lee, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer. The show’s setting, with its earth-toned runway and seating, was meant to suggest the open fields of the country’s many festivals.
This inspiration translated into clothes with a focus on texture and detailed construction. Tops and skirts appeared made entirely from beads. Leather was laser-cut to mimic the fineness of lace, while other pieces had edges trimmed with leather fringe. The attention to craft was also applied to house signatures. A trench coat was spliced with panels of macramé, and the familiar Burberry Check was woven into cotton and raffia raincoats. The check also appeared on color-blocked chainmail mini dresses, its pattern seeming to move on the body.
The collection’s overall silhouette was narrow. A return to tailoring was seen in three-button and double-breasted jackets made from wool and denim, worn with slim-leg trousers. These looks were styled with pinstriped cotton poplin shirts and check silk twill ties. Alongside the tailoring were slip dresses, shirt dresses, and cropped bootcut trousers offered in check and leather versions. Modern fabric treatments, like coated denims and waxed cottons, gave the materials a sense of movement.
Bags for the season were softer and unstructured. The leather Hampstead featured zip details, while new Bridle bags were designed as slouchy totes with an equestrian handle. Other new bag shapes included the Equestrian Knight closure. The shoe offering consisted of the Baez sandals, a lace-up boot called the Tone, and the Ledger, an equestrian-inspired boot. These pieces fit within a palette based on beige, brown, and indigo, which was broken up by moments of intense color. “Musicians have always been pioneers – fearless in the way they dress and sound,” adds Lee. “A legacy you’ll see in the looks, cast and styling.”
