Burberry’s make-or-break moment at LFW 2025

What happened Awash in tapestry curtains featuring idyllic rural scenery, on Monday evening, Burberry transformed London’s Tate Britain into a vision of the British countryside for its Fall 2025 collection. Marking Daniel Lee’s fifth runway show for the house, the presentation hinted at a more focused creative direction as the brand works to regain stability after a turbulent year. The maison doubled down on notable British talent for its FROW this season, which featured Skepta, Orlando Bloom, Nicholas Hoult, Alex Hassell, Yungblud, and Geri Halliwell, alongside a flurry of Asian stars including Thai actor and singer Bright, Chinese actors Youhao Zhang, Zhang Jingyi and Tang Wei, South Korean rapper Wonwoo and actor Jung Eun-chae. The casting was also a hit, with Harry Potter and White Lotus star Jason Isaacs, Richard.E.Grant, and Elizabeth McGovern all walking. Arguably, the star of the show was an anonymous guest dressed head to toe in the knight outfit — a nod to Burberry’s archival Equestrian Knight Design motif that has been revived under Lee. Outerwear takes the spotlight in Burberry’s Fall 2025 collection When it comes to the clothes, the consensus among attendees was that the label is headed in the right direction. Lee’s vision continues to take shape, with last night’s collection doubling down on bold outerwear — reimagined trenches, riding boots, and rain capes tailored for British weather. Commercial appeal was also evident as Burberry aims to counter its recent profit slump, spotlighting wearable, practical pieces like corduroy trousers, velvet damask suits, and ribbed knit skirts. With major names like Jonathan Anderson absent from the calendar this season, all eyes were on Burberry — and it seems the brand may have finally delivered. The Jing Take Burberry’s latest show arrived under intense scrutiny, reflecting the muted mood of this season’s London Fashion Week and the brand’s ongoing struggle to regain its footing under Daniel Lee. Since Lee’s appointment in 2022, the British heritage house has faced mounting business challenges, culminating in its removal from the FTSE 100 index in September last year — a stark indicator of its declining market position. While expulsion from the index was anticipated, given Burberry’s share price had plunged 70% YoY, it nonetheless marked a significant setback for British luxury. The brand’s reliance on its signature trench coat, a softening luxury retail climate, and an underwhelming accessories strategy — now a crucial driver of growth in the sector — all contributed to its downturn. Excessive price hikes and exposure to China’s tepid economy further compounded its struggles. Performance has been particularly dire in China, where comparable store sales fell 19% YoY last year. Joshua Schulman’s turnaround plan faces early challenges To combat the slump, the brand drafted in industry veteran Joshua Schulman as CEO in July last year, who has since launched an aggressive turnaround strategy, dubbed Burberry Forward, to revitalize the brand through a renewed focus on outerwear, in-store productivity, and brand perception. However, the British house faces mounting losses. It reported a net loss of 74 million British pounds ($93.3 million) in H1 2024, compared to a 158 million British pounds ($199.3 million) profit in the same period in 2023. H1 fiscal 2024 revenue was 1.1 billion pounds, or about $1.4 billion, representing a 22% year-over-year loss. Against this backdrop, speculation is mounting over Lee’s tenure at the helm, with industry insiders questioning whether last night’s show would be his final collection for the house. If so, he would join the growing list of creative directors — including Gucci’s Sabato De Sarno and Tom Ford’s Peter Hawkings — who have struggled to meet the industry’s high expectations in an era of shifting luxury dynamics. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Burberry’s make-or-break moment at LFW 2025

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Published February 25, 2025

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Burberry’s make-or-break moment at LFW 2025